IF THE Philippine economy benefits in large measure from the dollar remittances of overseas Filipino work-ers, it stands to reason the national government should be giving them all the assis-tance they need, not only when they go abroad but al-so when they encounter problems at work in foreign shores.
A particularly worrisome development in recent years has been the increasing incidence of OFWs promised lucrative jobs abroad but ending up hoodwinked by unscrupulous recruiters into working in scam hubs in Cambodia, Myanmar and elsewhere.
This is a matter that should be addressed by our Department of Migrant Workers with decisive steps to protect our OFWs from being abused in these scam hubs.
Several OFWs have actually been trafficked into scam operations in Cambodia.
Lured with false promises of legitimate jobs, they found themselves trapped in guarded compounds and forced to scam foreigners. Failing to meet quotas meant beatings, salary deductions or public humiliation.
Some victims were forced into “love scamming”—creating fake Facebook accounts to lure, manipulate and defraud fellow Filipinos, both at home and abroad.
Others were made to promote bogus investment schemes. They worked grueling shifts, from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m. the next day.
Eight victims shared their experiences during a press conference organized by an NGO this month. They wore face masks and sunglasses to hide their identities, fearing retaliation from former employers.
One OFW told media if they got sick, they would not be given the $300 they were promised. Their salaries were also cut if they did something wrong in the course of their work.
Victims who sought help from the Philippine Embassy were often discovered by their traffickers and handed over to Cambodian authorities for detention.
Workers’ phones were confiscated for most of the day, with only one hour of access.
Some were sold to other companies if they failed to bring in enough profit. Another victim said he was punished in front of fellow Filipinos before being transferred elsewhere.
Four batches of Filipinos were sent home from Cambodia this July.
But they lamented that upon landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, no one from the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking was there to receive them.
This is unfortunate.
The United Nations and other agencies have estimated that cyberscams, most of them originating from Southeast Asia, earn international criminal gangs billions of dollars annually.
The cybercriminals pretend friendship or tout phony investment opportunities to cheat their targets around the world.
The national government, particularly the DFA and DMW, should spare no effort to extend very possible assistance to OFWs who find themselves forced to work in scam hubs abroad.
