At least 190 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were victims of human trafficking operations finally arrived home from Cambodia on Thursday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and other government workers welcomed the group after their plane landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. They took a Philippine Airlines flight, which arrived at around 4:20 a.m., earlier than expected.
Originally, 191 OFWs were scheduled to return, but one woman had to remain in Phnom Penh due to medical concerns.
The DMW officials confirmed she is receiving treatment and remains under close monitoring, with assurances that she will be brought home as soon as she is fit to travel.
The rescued Filipinos—95 men and 95 women—were recovered from at least six locations across Cambodia, most of them from Phnom Penh. Others were found in Pailin, Koh Kong, Mondulkiri, Svay Rieng, and Siem Reap, after coordinated rescue efforts by Philippine authorities and their partners.
This latest homecoming brings the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Cambodia since 2022 to 877.
Officials said immediate financial assistance is already prepared, ensuring the returnees receive support without delay as they transition back to life at home.
Upon arrival, the group was brought to temporary accommodation facilities managed by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, where they will undergo documentation, health checks, and processing. Medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance are also being provided to help them heal both physically and emotionally.
Cacdac said many of the victims were recruited online and later forced to work in scam operations.
Now safe, the survivors will be supported through reintegration programs, including job and livelihood opportunities, as the government works to help them rebuild their lives with dignity and hope, he added.
