LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Migrant Workers-Bicol (DMW-5) is intensifying its fight against human traffickers and illegal recruiters by bringing its programs and campaigns to local government units (LGUs).
During Tuesday's Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum at Hotel Iniego here, DMW Director Jeena Laceda said they signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Bicol (DILG-5) for the establishment of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) desks.
"We are bringing the fight against traffickers and illegal recruiters to the grassroots level. We will utilize this to further intensify the information campaign not only to warn prospective OFWs but also to empower communities to report cases that they have detected in their own communities," Laceda said.
She said DILG-Bicol issued Regional Memorandum Circular No. 2024-02 on March 4 this year relative to the establishment of the OFW Help Desk, Maintenance of the Local Migration Database, and Mainstreaming of Migration and Development to Local Development Plans.
Laceda said they have conducted barangay-level education campaigns on how to detect illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons (TIP) and where to report.
"We already have barangays that participated in the campaign with their barangay captains and barangay police since they are the ones who are being asked, so that they know what the modus operandi of illegal recruiters are," she said.
Laceda added that they closely monitor the recorded 117 OFW Help Desks in the region.
DMW recorded eight filed cases for illegal recruitment and four TIP cases in 2022; nine filed cases on illegal recruitment in 2023; and only one ongoing case of illegal recruitment this year.
As of July 2024, the Migrant Workers Processing Division (MWPSD) had attended to 22,915 applications for e-registration; 13,096 for Balik-Manggagawa (returning workers); 261 for direct hire; 889 for government-to-government; and 57 for monitoring and supervising job fairs.
The MWPSD also served 485 for legal assistance, 133 for repatriation and 475 for Single-Entry Approach conciliation and mediation.
"Our office also conducted 10 pre-employment orientation seminars for 1,074 clients, four anti-illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons seminars for 353 clients, and 22 agency inspections," Laceda said. (PNA)
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