By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – Filipinos are again warned against suspicious job opportunities and recruitment schemes in Myanmar amid growing concerns over thousands of individuals trafficked into scam hubs in the region.
The Philippine Embassy in Yangon on Thursday issued an “urgent and serious warning” to all Filipino nationals and to exercise the “highest level of caution” against dubious employment offers.
“These schemes have already led many unsuspecting individuals into trafficking-in-persons networks, resulting in severe exploitation, abuse, and life-threatening situations,” it said.
“The Embassy strongly warns all Filipinos seeking employment abroad to accept only legitimate job offers duly verified by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) prior to departure. Failure to secure proper documentation significantly increases your risk of falling prey to traffickers,” it added.
Filipinos are reminded to be wary of fraudulent job titles such as fake “Customer Service Representative” offers and similar roles, which have been used as cover to lure victims into trafficking hubs in mainland Southeast Asia.
The embassy advised Filipinos to report or consult with Philippine authorities first before accepting or traveling abroad for employment.
Concerned nationals or relatives may reach out to the Philippine Embassy’s Assistance-to-Nationals Section at yangonpe.atn@dfa.gov.ph or (+95) 998-521-0991.
An independent United Nations report in May sounded the alarm over large-scale trafficking in persons for “forced labour and forced criminality in scam compounds across Southeast Asia.”
These victims, reaching ” hundreds of thousands” of various nationalities in number, are trapped and forced to carry out online fraud or assist the criminal operations.
Once trafficked, the report said the “victims are deprived of their liberty and subjected to torture, ill treatment, severe violence and abuse including beatings, electrocution, solitary confinement and sexual violence.” (PNA)
