THE Department of Migrant Workers in Central Visayas (DMW 7) is ramping up efforts to combat illegal recruitment and labor trafficking after a human trafficking operation was uncovered at illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) hubs in Lapu-Lapu City.
DMW 7 Officer-in-Charge Karl Frederic Arriola said they will address the problem through various initiatives, including pre-employment orientation seminars, to educate potential overseas workers about the risks of illegal recruitment and labor trafficking.
These seminars are part of DMW’s broader strategy to protect individuals from trafficking, Arriola said during a news forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency 7 on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
The raid, conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 in coordination with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and other agencies, revealed that several individuals were being held against their will and forced to work under exploitative conditions.
NBI 7 Director Rennan Augustus Oliva said in earlier reports that there is a need for comprehensive actions against human trafficking.
Arriola echoed Oliva’s statement, saying DMW is committed to addressing the problem.
The DMW 7, said Arriola, is also collaborating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and non-governmental organizations to ensure a coordinated response to trafficking cases. / JBB