Sen. Raffy Tulfo expressed concern over reports of increasing cases of Filipinos falling victim to illegal recruitment, human trafficking and scams.
Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor and the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, said he is aware that one of the reasons behind the rise in cases is the loss of jobs experienced by some Filipinos due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
In response to complaints he has received, the senator called on several government agencies to intensify their efforts to combat these illegal activities. He specifically urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Migrant Workers and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking to strengthen their measures against illegal recruitment and trafficking operations.
Tulfo said it is important to stop such activities after receiving a complaint involving three former female overseas Filipino workers who were reportedly forced to work as sex workers despite initially being offered jobs as massage therapists.
To prevent similar incidents, the senator said he is requiring the Department of Migrant Workers to make certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority mandatory for applicants seeking work abroad as singers, dancers and entertainers.
He added that the Department of Migrant Workers should also implement stricter post-deployment monitoring to ensure that overseas Filipino workers are properly monitored after leaving the country.
Tulfo emphasized that stronger coordination among government agencies is necessary to prevent Filipinos from becoming victims of illegal recruitment and trafficking schemes.
