Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac has expressed strong support for stricter penalties against scammers exploiting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). He highlighted the severe financial and emotional toll such schemes impose on victims and their families.
“I fully agree with these measures,” Cacdac said in a PNA report, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger laws to combat rampant fraud affecting OFWs. He revealed that in major scam cases, hundreds of workers have been victimized.
To address the issue, the DMW has partnered with agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Anti-Money Laundering Council, and Philippine Stock Exchange to educate OFWs on spotting scams and identifying legitimate investment opportunities. Programs like SEC’s ASTIG initiative provide webinars to help OFWs safeguard their hard-earned money.
For victims, the DMW offers legal support and financial assistance through its AKSYON Fund. Cacdac cited recent efforts to tackle a cargo forwarding scam that affected over 700 Filipino workers in Kuwait and the UAE.
Cacdac backed a proposed bill by the ACT-CIS party-list seeking life imprisonment and fines of up to PHP 10 million for scammers, stating that penalties should reflect the gravity of the crime.
“Scammers destroy the lives of workers who have sacrificed so much for their families and the country,” he said.
