Twelve Filipino victims of human trafficking in Cambodia safely returned to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, prompting renewed warnings from the government for the public to stay alert against fraudulent overseas employment offers.
The repatriated citizens traveled back to Manila alongside Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, who was in Phnom Penh to lead the opening of a new Migrant Workers Office.
After landing, Secretary Cacdac reassured the survivors that the state is committed to assisting their transition and offering sustainable livelihood opportunities.
“Tutulungan namin kayo na mabigyan ng ibang options para kumita at masuportahan ang pamilya ninyo upang hindi na ninyo kailangang bumalik sa Cambodia,” Cacdac told the rescued Filipinos.
Officials from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and allied agencies welcomed the group, immediately distributing a comprehensive assistance package that included cash aid, meals, temporary lodging, and travel assistance.
Beyond immediate relief, the government pledged to provide legal counsel as the survivors prepare to travel back to their respective provinces to be with their families.
Tuesday’s arrivals also included a Filipino mother and her baby, who received prior help from the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia and have now been turned over to the DMW for continued care.
Following this development, the DMW sounded the alarm over the rising threat of internet-based recruitment schemes. The agency observed that syndicates frequently exploit social media to lure unsuspecting job seekers with highly lucrative offers that ultimately result in forced labor.
To prevent similar incidents, the department advised the public to double-check the credentials of recruiters and validate all foreign job postings through official DMW resources before accepting any employment overseas.