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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Raffy Tulfo alarmed by spike in Pinoy victims of illegal recruitment, human trafficking

Raffy Tulfo alarmed by spike in Pinoy victims of illegal recruitment, human trafficking

Published May 1, 2026 04:12 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committees on Labor and Migrant Workers, raised alarm over the rising cases of illegal recruitment, human trafficking, and online scams victimizing Filipinos.
  • He cited the plight of three former OFWs in Malaysia allegedly forced into sex work, and called for stricter monitoring by different agencies.
  • Tulfo urged certification from the TESDA for OFWs in entertainment jobs, reiterated his directive for stricter post-deployment monitoring, and pressed the DMW and the NBI to file charges against bogus recruitment agencies.
Senator Raffy Tulfo (Facebook)
Senator Raffy Tulfo (Facebook)

Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committees on Labor and Migrant Workers, raised alarm over the growing number of Filipinos victimized by illegal recruitment, human trafficking, and online scams.
Speaking in a joint committee hearing on Thursday, April 30, Tulfo noted that many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) lost jobs due to the crisis in the Middle East and returned home without stable income.
He warned that desperate job seekers are increasingly lured by online offers, creating opportunities for illegal recruiters to expand trafficking schemes.
Tulfo cited the case of three former OFWs in Malaysia who sought his office’s help after allegedly being forced into sex work despite contracts stating they were hired as massage therapists.
The senator described the incident as “unacceptable” and called for stricter monitoring by agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking to curb illegal online recruitment.
He also urged the DMW to require certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for OFWs in entertainment jobs to verify their qualifications and deployment sites.
Tulfo reiterated his directive for stricter post-deployment monitoring and pressed agencies, particularly the DMW and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), to file charges against bogus recruitment agencies.
“The government must hold perpetrators accountable and put an end to widespread illegal recruitment and human trafficking operations,” Tulfo stressed. (Ellson Quismorio)

Related Tags

Raffy Tulfo OFWs human trafficking illegal recruitment DMW
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