Around 200 Filipinos remain trapped in the hands of syndicates in the “Golden Triangle,” one of the world’s most notorious hubs for illegal activities, a Department of Justice (DOJ) official reported on Monday.
The “Golden Triangle” is the region where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos meet.
Nicholas Felix Ty, Undersecretary in charge of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking at the DOJ, also told TeleRadyo Serbisyo that hundreds of Filipino workers had been rescued from the dangerous area since 2023.
However, Ty noted that more Filipinos continue to be drawn to take risks in the region, especially following the closure of offshore gaming hubs in the Philippines.
“We have not been lax in warning people; most Filipinos are aware of the dangers involved in such jobs, but they still insist on going because they’re attracted by promises of high salaries,” he said, as reported by ABS-CBN News.
He urged Filipinos planning to work abroad to ensure that their employment processes comply with Philippine laws, including obtaining permits from the Department of Migrant Workers.