MANILA — The government has ensured continued assistance and protection for 346 Filipinos rescued from human trafficking in Myanmar, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said.

The repatriation was coordinated under the leadership of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and other government agencies comprising the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). The repatriates are now undergoing psychosocial counseling, medical check-ups, and legal interviews.

The operation began in Myawaddy, Eastern Myanmar, and continued for two weeks in Mae Sot, Thailand, where the Philippine Embassy assisted before the victims were transported via a seven-hour, 10-bus convoy to Bangkok. From there, a government-chartered flight brought them safely back to the Philippines.

The repatriation followed the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP), providing the legal framework for cooperation among ASEAN member states in rescuing and protecting trafficking victims.

Cacdac highlighted the continued coordination among the DMW, DFA, Department of Justice, IACAT, National Bureau of Investigation, and Philippine National Police in implementing anti-trafficking measures.

The Philippines has maintained its Tier 1 ranking in the U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report for ten consecutive years. Since 2022, 1,910 Filipinos have been rescued from human trafficking in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and other ASEAN countries, demonstrating the sustained efforts of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.against human trafficking and illegal recruitment.