22 Filipino trafficking victims repatriated from Cambodia
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara welcomes and assists 22 Filipino victims of human trafficking in Cambodia upon their arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. (Photo courtesy of DMW via Ariel Fernandez)
Twenty-two Filipino victims of human trafficking in Cambodia finally returned home on Wednesday morning, June 10, arriving at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 from Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh.
They traveled aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR 2622, accompanied by Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay, and were welcomed by DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara together with teams from the agency, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking.
Upon arrival, the repatriates received medical assessments and assistance from the NAIA medical team.
OWWA offered them transportation and temporary accommodations, while the DMW Migrant Workers Protection Bureau and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking pledged to extend legal support.
Financial and welfare aid will also be provided to help them recover and reintegrate.
The repatriation was carried out through the coordinated efforts of the DMW Rapid Response Team in Cambodia, the Migrant Workers Office in Singapore, and the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh.
Authorities said the operation underscores the government’s continuing commitment to protect overseas Filipinos and ensure the safe return of those in distress.