ASEAN declaration aims for safe, fair recruitment of migrant workers —DMW

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is crafting a declaration that calls for stronger regional action against fraudulent online recruitment and safer migration amid the prevalence of human trafficking across the region, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Wednesday.

The Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (ACMW) provides an operational framework for member states to address emerging challenges like cyber-enabled recruitment fraud, safe migration pathways, and worker protection guidelines.

"Very relevant sa atin [dahil] may cases ng scam hubs [na biktima] ang mga kabayan natin," DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

(The declaration is very relevant because we have cases of scam hubs that victimized our countrymen.)

According to Cacdac, the government has so far repatriated 3,000 Filipino victims of scam hubs, some of whom are victims of sex trafficking.

"May law enforcement effort dito ang ASEAN member states to curb itong mga scam hubs, scam farms na tinatawag," Cacdac said.

(The ASEAN member states have law enforcement efforts to curb the scam hubs and scam farms.)

The DMW secretary attributed the prevalence of human trafficking in ASEAN countries to the visa-free jurisdiction in the region.

"Malamang sa malamang itatawid 'yan sa isang visa-free jurisdiction, dun muna sila dadalhin. And then from there, isasakay na sila sa mga fishing boats," Cacdac said.

(Victims are most likely to traverse a visa-free country, then will sail in a fishing boat to their destination.)

With this scheme, ASEAN member states strenghtened it coordination and tighten its borders security.

"On the same page, ang mga ASEAN member states ay magkakaroon ng pagkakaintindihan na ipagbawal ang illegal recruitment," Cacdac said.

(The ASEAN member states are on the same page in prohibiting illegal recruitment.)

"That is why we have tight coordination across ASEAN and within our country with law enforcement," he added.

The Philippines, through DMW, led the 19th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML) this month, where member states discussed the growing threat of cyber-enabled recruitment schemes and how to address it. —LDF, GMA News