Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Sen. Risa Hontiveros in 2023 bared another case of human trafficking scheme forcing Filipinos to serve as "crypto scammers," this time in Cambodia. Photo courtesy of Sen. Risa Hontiveros/File

Article (news)

Cambodia

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Wednesday committed to put up offices in member states of Association of Southeast Asian Nations to help victims of scam hubs.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/3-pinoy-na-biktima-umano-ng-torture-sa-cambodia-scam-hub-nasagip-ng-nbi-1306">3 Pilipinong biktima umano ng torture sa Cambodia scam hub, nasagip ng NBI</a></div><p>Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said DMW is mandated to help the Department of Foreign Affairs with the repatriation of victims recruited into scam hubs in Southeast Asia,</p><p>“Kasi po wala pa tayong Migrant Workers Offices sa ASEAN pero gagamutin po namin yung problema na &#x27;yan this year,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers.</p><p>(We do not have Migrant Workers Offices in ASEAN countries but we will address that this year)</p><p>MWOs are the DMW&#x27;s operating arm abroad and have a labor attache, welfare officer, and administrative and support staff.</p><p>He said the department will propose the setting up of MWOs across Southeast Asia. Talks have already started for an MWO in Bangkok.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/24/parang-mga-sardinas-tulfo-questions-condition-of-ofw-accommodation-houses-1536">&#x27;Parang mga sardinas&#x27;: Tulfo questions condition of OFW accommodation houses</a></div><p>He added DMW plans to put up offices in the Lao People&#x27;s Democratic Republic, Cambodia and Myanmar, where scam hubs have been found.</p><p>Cacdac said that they do receive complaints about scamming activities and endorse these to the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is on the ground for rescue efforts.</p><p>According to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega, they hope to repatriate faster and the MWOs might be of help once established.</p><p>DMW is also coordinating with Facebook and TikTok to take down posts about fake jobs abroad; 73,714 takedowns have been made so far.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/01/18/23/another-batch-of-ofws-forced-to-work-as-crypto-scammers-hontiveros">Another batch of OFWs forced to work as &#x27;crypto scammers&#x27;: Hontiveros</a></div><p>“However as you know, kada takedown ng isa may dalawa o tatlong posibleng umusbong kaya’t patuloy po, every day po minomonitor natin ito,” Cacdac said.   </p><p>(However, for every one we take down, two or three can pop up to take its place. So we monitor for that every day)</p><p>There is a 24/7 monitoring of online posts, but DMW admitted they only have 10 people working on that.</p><p>Cacdac also assured senators that financial assistance is given to victims upon return to the Philippines.</p><p>Complaints about recruiters, meanwhile, are sent to the Department of Justice.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div> <span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Smxwiheua0M?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>The DMW committed to putting up offices in member states of ASEAN to help victims of scam hubs in the region. </p>

The DMW committed to putting up offices in member states of ASEAN to help victims of scam hubs in the region.

DMW to put up Migrant Workers Offices in ASEAN to aid scam hub victims

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DMW to put up Migrant Workers Offices in ASEAN to aid scam hub victims

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 23, 2025 04:41 PM PHT

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