A Filipina has been stopped from leaving the country after she was found to have been recruited to be a surrogate mother for a fee of P300,000 after childbirth, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.
The 34-year-old Filipina, whose name was withheld, was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Tuesday, Jan. 14, the BI said.
It said the Filipina wanted to travel to Cyprus for leisure. However, immigration officers flagged her when she inadvertently presented an in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic invitation which contradicted her story.
“Investigation revealed that the victim agreed to be a surrogate for someone she met on a dating app, with a promised ₱300,000 payout after childbirth,” the BI said.
She was referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance, it also said.
"The scheme continues to thrive, leading to a rise in online offers for surrogacy or IVF (in vitro fertilization)-related services, with victims often coerced into passing certain laboratory assessments," said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
“We warn females not to be tempted to agree to such schemes as this is a clear form of trafficking," Viado pointed out.