Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado expressed concern over the growing number of Filipino women being trafficked abroad for illegal surrogacy.
In a recent incident, a 37-year-old woman was intercepted on October 15 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, trying to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Batumi, Georgia. Initially presenting herself as a sales associate on a business trip, the woman later admitted she had been recruited to work as a surrogate mother in exchange for over half a million Pesos.
According to BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES), the woman was promised Php 28,000 per month during pregnancy, along with covered medical expenses and travel costs. However, I-PROBES Chief Mary Jane Hizon pointed out that this type of recruitment is a new form of human trafficking, where women are lured under false pretenses and ultimately exploited.
This case marks the seventh incident of intercepted surrogate mothers at airports, following the rescue of 20 Filipino women earlier this month from a similar situation in Cambodia. The victim has been referred to the inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT) for assistance, while authorities pursue cases against her recruiters.
