TWELVE overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) illegally recruited to work in Myanmar were successfully repatriated late Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
In a statement, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the 12 victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking have been brought home safely via Cebu Pacific 57864.
“They were safely repatriated by the Philippine government through the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Office in Bangkok,” said the DMW.
Upon their arrival, the Department said the 12 OFWs were given immediate assistance by different government agencies.
“They were provided psychosocial services, financial aid, and legal aid from a whole-of-government team,” said the DMW.
The 12 were recruited through Facebook by a Filipino who offered them jobs as customer sales representatives in Myanmar.
However, they found themselves working as online scammers without pay or rest days.
They were physically abused, beaten with PVC sticks, subjected to electric shocks, forced to do the duck walk, frog walk, jump, and squat for hours.
Eventually, the workers ran away, were assisted by the Myanmar military, and released at the Thai border.
Twelve more OFWs in the Cayman Islands received aid from the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Washington, D.C. after their rented house was gutted by fire last month.
In a statement, the DMW said the 12 were each given financial assistance amounting to $856.06 or P50,000.
“The assistance was intended to aid the OFWs with their relocation and other personal expenses,” said the DMW.
It said the financial aid was provided through the DMW AKSYON Fund.
“The affected OFWs were in dire need of support,” noted the DMW.
Last month, the house rented and shared by the 12 OFWs was gutted by fire.
