The government assured that the human trafficking victims in Laos will receive the necessary assistance once they are repatriated to the Philippines, in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said on Saturday.
“This appears to related to a cyber scam operation but we shall await further details on this. And once again, based on the presidential directive, post-arrival assistance is ready; DMW-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) stands ready to help; DMW particularly stands ready to help upon arrival … I would call them victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking,” Cacdac told a news forum in Quezon City.
“And we will work with the DOJ in terms of filing the necessary charges. We will get the statements of the victims para ma-pinpoint sino nag-recruit sa kanila dito sa kanila sa Pilipinas, file the necessary charges in partnership with the DOJ,” he said.
According to Cacdac, they have been working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) regarding the case of the Filipinos in Laos because of the absence of a migrant workers office in the Lao PDR.
Citing a DFA statement, Cacdac said the crackdown on illegal companies within the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone is occurring in Bokeo Province, Lao PDR.
Cacdac added that foreign affairs officials led by DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo and Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega are working directly on the issue.
The Philippine Embassy in Vientiane is also working closely with the Lao authorities to repatriate the Filipinos, the DMW chief said. So far, seven Filipinos have already been repatriated.
“May 75 pa. Ang initial figure na naibigay namin was 73, but 75 ang pending repatriation,” he said.
Cacdac warned the public not to fall prey to unlicensed recruiters enticing Filipinos to work in other Southeast Asian countries like Laos.
“Huwag pong pumatol kapag walang work visa at kontrata na dumaan sa DMW at iyong mismong documentation; iyong clearance dapat mayroon kayong hawak na clearance mula sa DMW,” he warned.
“Madalas kasi since Laos ito, remember na ASEAN country so based on the visa free arrangement, napapainan (baiting) sila noong walang visa but this is ASEAN so that means iyong visa free arrangement only pertains to tourists,” Cacdac said.
Anybody leaving the country to work in an ASEAN country must have a work visa, Cacdac said, clarifying that visa-free travel only applies to tourists. PND
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