MANILA: (Bernama-PNA) The Philippine government, led by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), has repatriated 190 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) rescued from scam hubs in Cambodia, following a whole-of-government effort to assist the victims of human trafficking.
The Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported that Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the group arrived via a Philippine Airlines chartered flight.
"As per the instruction of our beloved President to provide full protection to our OFWs, we are here, joining forces, with a whole-of-government approach, to provide assistance to OFWs from scam hub operations and crackdowns in Cambodia,” Cacdac said in a press briefing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Thursday (Feb 5).
"So there are 190 people, originally there were 191, but one person was left behind for some medical treatment in Phnom Penh, so Ambassador Mayo is still there and we still have a team on the ground,” he added.
DMW Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi explained that they tried to include the OFW in the repatriated group, but her doctors did not allow due to her serious medical condition.
He, however, assured that the DMW team is on the ground, together with the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia, to closely monitor her situation.
Cacdac said the latest batch brought to 877 the total number of OFW scam victims assisted and repatriated by the government since 2022.
Upon arrival in the country, the DMW said the group will undergo medical and psycho-social check courtesy of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
They were also provided with temporary shelter, financial assistance and transport back to their home provinces. - Bernama-PNA
