Some 170 distressed Filipinos in scam hubs across Southeast Asia have active requests for government assistance and are still awaiting repatriation, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday, Nov. 12.
DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona noted that these individuals are located in areas linked to fraudulent operations and have formally sought help from Philippine authorities.
“This figure remains subject to change as verification efforts are ongoing,” she added.
Escalona assured the Philippine embassies are closely working with ASEAN authorities to ensure their safety while they facilitate the process of their repatriation.
The DFA gave an update on the Filipinos who sought Philippine government’s assistance for repatriation after a total of 346 repatriates arrived home safely on Wednesday.
These Filipinos were rescued by authorities last month from scam hubs in the eastern Myanmar town of Myawaddy.
The DFA earlier said that it continues to receive reports of Filipino human trafficking victims inside different scam centers across Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
Filipinos who are in scam hubs and their families who wish to request for assistance may contact the Philippine Embassy in Yangon through these hotline numbers: +959985210993, +959985210998, +959409883434 (Viber), +959985210996, and via email at [email protected].
