Seven of the 53 recent victims of the illegal cross-country recruitment. Kamal Kassim / Gulf Today

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Illegal cross-country deployment or recruitment has been existing for years with seven countries uncovered by the Philippine Government and particularly the Philippine missions in the UAE in recent years and so Filipinos the world over, including valid residents as well as visit visa holders across the seven emirates have been warned again concerning their media savvy-ness. On Saturday, forwarded to this reporter was the January 24, 2023 post over the Facebook page of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Anti-Illegal Recruitment (POEAAIR) reminding Filipinos about scam call centre agent jobs in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.

Forwarded too, was the November 25, 2022 POEAAIR advisory about “human trafficking and bogus online tech/customer support jobs in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. A check on the MWO-Dubai website on Saturday showed its “MWO-Dubai Advisory No. 3 Series of 2023 Warning on Third-Country Recruitment and Cross-Country Employment Practices.”

Following is the Sunday statement of the Philippine Embassy-Abu Dhabi on the enquiry to the two Philippine missions last Saturday on how Filipinos in the UAE have been involved in the jobs scams in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia: “The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai have recently received reports on Filipinos in (the) UAE being recruited by unscrupulous unnamed individuals and end up being scammed into some Southeast Asian countries. We are looking into these reported incidents, and closely monitoring the situation.

We have also issued an advisory, warning Filipinos against these recruiters, and to report these activities to the proper authorities, so that the appropriate legal action may be taken.” On Monday, Migrant Workers Office-Dubai (MWO-Dubai) illegal cross-country records were at 53. It included a Myanmar national, mistaken as a Filipina and among four surrendered by Dubai International Airport authorities to MWO-Dubai in recent past for they were Iraq-bound where there is an existing employment ban.

There is no Myanmar diplomatic nor consular mission in the UAE. Thus, the Philippines, as a fellow Southeast Asian nation, took care of her and helped her return to her homeland on Sunday evening via the Myanmar Airways International in Dubai. As this reporter were interviewing seven Filipina domestic helpers - five from Mindanao and two from the Visayas - victimised to work in the UAE by their fellow Filipinas residing in the country for better salaries, better working conditions and other benefits, a new cross-country case was recorded at the MWO-Dubai, which, according to Labour Attache John Rio Bautista was bound for Sudan.

The seven Filipinas awaiting their return home are Irene Grace Benelayo and Rosamie Bacolod from Hong Kong; Marvelyn Torres, Lowela Baquislay Castil, Cleofe Pequero, and Renelyn Cordero Dayaday from Saudi Arabia; and Marissa Blanca Verzuela from Kuwait. Five of them were conned by way of the Facebook Messenger and/or WhatsApp with the promise of “cash assistance” to as much as Php60,000.00 (Dhs4,089.96) once in the UAE. Two decided to cross country for experience instead of going home for their annual breaks and so like the five others experienced being “sold” several times over by “agents” to local recruitment agencies for as high as Dhs12,500.

They experienced maltreatment, overwork, non-payment of wages, physical abuse. Two were sexually harassed. They wished no one would become the next victim. MWO-Dubai investigations showed a few of these agencies are legitimately enrolled at Tadhbeer centres whose management are unaware of their being used for fraudulent means.