DMW vows to combat trafficking of Pinoys

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is bent on uncovering the people behind the illegal recruitment of Filipinos who were promised with decent jobs abroad, but ended in POGO-like hubs in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

Bernard Olalia, DMW undersecretary for licensing and adjudication services, said a system to combat the trafficking of Filipinos was set up recently.

The system included the deployment of a labor attaché to Thailand and a stronger cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, he added.

“We are trying to get to the bottom of the case and we are trying to find out who recruited them. We don’t want a repeat of the incident wherein (Filipino) workers are brought there through illegal migration corridors,” Olalia said in a statement.

Recently, 12 victims of trafficking from Myanmar arrived in the country through the government’s repatriation program.

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said one of the 12 was arrested after it was found that the person was an illegal recruiter who posed as a distressed overseas Filipino worker (OFW).

“This incident shows a modus wherein illegal recruiters pose as a victim of trafficking and fly with legitimate recruits and mingle with distressed OFWs during repatriation,” Cacdac said.

The DMW reminded the public that if the recruitment transaction is made online, it could be a sign of illegal recruitment “because a legitimate recruitment agency has a physical office and you should have already set foot there.”