Infanta migrant workers office combat job scams to protect OFWs

By Rowena T. Cruz Mayor Lord Arnel L. Ruanto launch the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Seminar, giving hundreds of aspiring OFWs the knowledge to ...

By Rowena T. Cruz

Mayor Lord Arnel L. Ruanto launch the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Seminar, giving hundreds of aspiring OFWs the knowledge to spot job scams. (Municipal Government of Infanta)

INFANTA, Quezon - Illegal recruitment and human trafficking are serious threats that can shatter lives and livelihoods, a stark reality driving the recent Anti-Illegal Recruitment (AIR) and Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Awareness Seminar by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Regional Office IV-A in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Infanta, Quezon.

The Public Employment Service Office (PESO), led by Ruth Ann P. Cuerdo, facilitated the seminar under Mayor Lord Arnel L. Ruanto’s direction. Its goal was to equip aspiring Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)—Filipinos who work abroad—with the knowledge to spot and avoid exploitative overseas job scams.



Mayor Ruanto emphasized the importance of programs that shield residents from danger. "We fully support these programs because the safety of our constituents is our top priority," Mayor Ruanto stated. "Thousands of our people seeking work abroad deserve all the protection we can give them against deception and harm."

He said the DMW and the Infanta LGU's joint effort demonstrates a strong, unified commitment to the safety and security of the community's future migrant workers. These awareness campaigns are essential in building an informed and resilient community of future OFWs.

"I deeply value the programs that help provide protection against deception and the dangers of working in other countries. We are here to ensure that every opportunity sought abroad is safe and legitimate." he said.

The campaign's objectives were clear to expand public knowledge about the severe dangers of illegal recruitment and human trafficking, empower job seekers to effectively scrutinize and reject fraudulent job offers, and inform attendees about their rights and the legal processes for seeking work abroad.