176 Pinoy human trafficking victims from Myanmar finally home

DAVAO CITY — A total of 176 Filipino victims of human trafficking from Myanmar arrived back in the Philippines on March 26, 2025, following a successful repatriation effort led by Philippine government authorities.

The victims, who had been lured to Myanmar with promises of a monthly salary of P30,000 as marketing officers, found themselves trapped in scam hubs.

There, they were forced to work under harsh conditions and, worse, were never paid. The repatriation was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Philippine government and the government of Thailand.

Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed the rescue operation, which also saw support from the Philippine Embassy, the Police Attaché’s Office, and the Migrant Workers Office in Bangkok. “We are grateful for the successful rescue and safe return of the victims,” said Cacdac during the reception at NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City.

One of the rescued victims recounted how they were hidden for days by their employers once they realized authorities were closing in. “We were hidden inside a room for three days, but when we saw Myanmar soldiers inside the facility, we hurriedly went out and were rescued,” said Roan, a victim of the scam.

Cacdac also noted that the Myanmar incident marks the largest group of victims repatriated thus far following the shutdown of the scam companies after Thailand cut off their power supply. “We still need to identify the recruiters, whether virtual or actual accomplices,” he said.

In addition to the repatriation, victims received financial assistance, including Php 50,000 from the DMW’s AKSYON Fund and Php 10,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), as well as immediate medical and psychosocial services from the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty also appreciated the international cooperation, particularly from Thailand, which was essential in bringing the victims home. He encouraged those who had been rescued to help with the ongoing investigation and not to be afraid to speak out about their traffickers.

Cacdac also highlighted the significant role of the newly established Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Bangkok, which was instrumental in facilitating the repatriation process.

The Philippine government has already repatriated 206 victims from Myanmar’s scam hubs, and an additional 59 are expected to return soon. The victims, who were initially recruited through platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram, were exploited to work as online scammers instead of the legitimate jobs they were promised.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) urges overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and job seekers to use only DMW-verified recruitment agencies and to be cautious of illegal recruitment schemes that promise high salaries without proper documentation or contracts.

The whole-of-government response involved agencies, including the DFA, DMW, OWWA, DOH, DSWD, BI, DOJ, and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.