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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider BI chief notes dangers faced by undocumented OFWs

BI chief notes dangers faced by undocumented OFWs

Published Mar 31, 2023 09:13 am
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco reiterated the many dangers faced by undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) following the recent repatriation of two more women from Thailand. The BI chief said the young college graduates accepted an offer they received through social media platform Facebook to work as customer service representatives. Upon arriving in Thailand's capital city of Bangkok, their employer deployed them as online "love scammers," sending nude photos to their gullible victims, the BI said. Later, they were assigned in online betting stations with limited food supplies and starvation wage. "They experienced physical abuse and sexual assault," Tansingco added. He said this is the reason why immigration officers at airports are strict in screening certain Filipino passengers going abroad to protect them from human traffickers. He said the men and women of the service understand the desire of many of our compatriots to look for high-paying jobs abroad, "but there is a legal way to do it."

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trafficking immigration OFW bureau of immigration
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