DFA Announces Rescue of 8 Filipino Trafficking Victims in Myanmar 

13 February 2023, MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed the arrival of eight (8) Filipino trafficking victims from Myanmar. DFA Acting Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo Jose A. de Vega led the DFA team in meeting the Filipinos early morning today at 5:25 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.

Among the eight Filipinos, four (4) males were recruited online from Dubai to supposedly work as customer support representatives in Thailand. Instead, from Thailand they were brought to Myanmar and were forced to trick individuals into investing in cryptocurrency. On the other hand, four (4) females were detained for allegedly entering Myanmar illegally from Thailand.

The DFA wishes to advise all that the Myanmar-Thai Friendship Bridge, the border crossing closed for nearly three years, only reopened last January 2023 for the citizens of the two countries. Therefore, crossing by any other means (e.g., across the river) is illegal. Moreover, the legal entry points for foreigners, including Filipinos, are through Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw airports.

DFA Acting Undersecretary de Vega commended the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Yangon, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, the Bureau of Immigration, and other Philippine law enforcement agencies in their work behind the scenes to ensure the safety of overseas Filipinos and clamp down on the trafficking and scamming activities in mainland Southeast Asia. He also acknowledged and expressed his appreciation for the key assistance provided by the Myanmar authorities in the rescue efforts. 

The DFA reminds our kababayans both in the Philippines and abroad to be cautious of spurious jobs offered through social media and avoid falling victim to illegal recruitment and human trafficking schemes. It is vital to pass through the legal deployment processes in the Philippines and arrive in their countries of destination not as tourists but with actual working visas. END