The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday, Nov. 27, cautioned Filipinos against seeking work in Myanmar not only due to the ongoing civil war but also because of rampant cases of human trafficking.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said "the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has classified Myanmar’s conflict to be at Crisis Alert Level 2, also known as the Restricted Phase."

“This means that only documented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are allowed to travel to Myanmar, with stringent protocols and safeguards in place,” Tansingco said. 

On rampant cases of human trafficking, he said that last Nov. 21 four Filipinos were repatriated from Myanmar after falling victims to illegal recruitment.

Tansingco said the four illegal recruitment victims, whose names were withheld, left the Philippines posing as tourists but were later recruited by their foreigner acquaintances to fly to Myanmar to work in different job positions.

Two of the victims revealed they were recruited through a job posting on Facebook as customer service representatives in Myanmar, he said.

“Upon arriving, they were coerced into engaging in online scamming activities for an undisclosed Chinese company,” he also said. 

“These individuals were subjected to physical abuse and poor working conditions,” he lamented.

“Illegal recruitment not only violates our laws but also undermines the rights and welfare of Filipino workers,” Tansingco said. 

“Aspiring OFWs are urged to verify the legitimacy of job offers, ensure proper documentation, and seek guidance from licensed recruitment agencies before applying abroad,” he stressed.