Two Filipinas attempting to leave the country under a fraudulent employment scheme were intercepted by immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on January 27.
According to Mary Jane Hizon, chief of the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES), the victims were stopped while trying to board a flight to Malaysia under the guise of being tourists. Upon further questioning, they admitted they were recruited by a woman known as “Madame” to work as hotel cleaners.
Their recruiter allegedly advised them to travel as tourists while waiting for their work visas. However, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado warned that this “tourist worker scheme” is a common tactic used by illegal recruiters. Many end up working under tourist visas and become vulnerable to exploitation, unable to secure legal work permits.
The two victims have been handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), which will pursue legal action against their recruiters. Viado urged Filipinos seeking jobs abroad to verify offers and avoid falling into illegal employment schemes.
