Aside from Myanmar, DMW also looks into human trafficking in Cambodia, Laos

MANILA, Philippines — Besides Myanmar, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is also looking into human trafficking in Cambodia and Laos.

Human trafficking in Myanmar has been making headlines recently after Senator Risa Hontiveros exposed that Filipinos were trafficked to the foreign nation to work as cryptocurrency scammers.

READ: Hontiveros: Chinese mafia plans all-Filipino scammer team in Myanmar

DMW Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople said that the same thing happens in Cambodia and Laos.

“We are looking at, not just Myanmar now, we are also looking at Cambodia and Laos,” she told ANC Headstart on Wednesday.

“In fact, [the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration] has issued an advisory, cautioning our [overseas Filipino workers], especially the job applicants against these online recruitment for our workers to illegally go and be employed in these so-called cryptotechnoparks in very remote areas in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar,” she added.

According to Ople, they were able to bring home human trafficking survivors from the three countries.

Hontiveros earlier shared that they helped 12 trafficked Filipinos in Myanmar to safely return to the Philippines.

READ: Chinese recruiters lure Filipinos to work as bitcoin scammers in Myanmar — DMW

The Filipinos repatriated from Myanmar, Ople said, will be provided with legal jobs.

“So, I told them, ‘magpahinga muna kayo (rest first) and then, let’s meet again. Give us your [curriculum vitae],’” the DMW chief said.

The DMW also gave financial assistance to the survivors, and a non-governmental organization is providing them with psychosocial counseling.

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality is investigating human trafficking in Myanmar following the rescue of 12 Filipino victims.

READ: 31 more Filipinos may be trafficking victims in Myanmar, says Hontiveros

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