After journalist Gretchen Ho took to social media to share about how one of her family members was not allowed to exchange foreign currency at Oslo airport because of the current corruption issues, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clarified that the foreign exchange stall was using an outdated list of Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

In the outdated list, the Philippines was still included in the “grey list,” which “identifies countries that have deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regimes,” the DFA said in a statement on Thursday, Oct. 9.

“The Philippines was officially removed from the FATF grey list in February 2025, and the EU grey list in August 2025, following the introduction of rigorous reforms that fortified the integrity of the Philippines’ financial system and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to combating financial crimes,” the agency furthered.

The DFA coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway through the Philippine Embassy in Oslo after learning of Ho’s experience.

“The Norwegian Foreign Ministry officials committed to follow up with the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway to update and delist the Philippines on the forex companies’ list of countries with high risk for money laundering or terrorist financing,” the DFA said.

In a social media post, the news anchor shared that her family member was trying to exchange $300 or less than P20,000 at the foreign exchange counter at the airport, but was denied after the lady at the counter cited “corruption” and “money laundering” in the Philippines.

Comments on Ho’s post showed that her family’s experience was not an isolated case as some netizens shared about a same ordeal.

This came amid the multi-billion-peso flood control corruption unveiled in several congressional hearings.

High-profile politicians and government officials, as well as private contractors, are allegedly involved in the massive corruption.