By Marita Moaje
MANILA – Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac backed stricter penalties against scammers preying on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), emphasizing the devastating financial and emotional toll such schemes take on workers and their families.
“I fully agree with these measures,” Cacdac said during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum on Friday.
“Yung mga malalang cases talaga, daan-daan ang binibilang nating nabibiktima, (the serious cases, we have hundreds of victims)” he said, stressing the urgent need for stricter laws to combat rampant fraud targeting OFWs.
Cacdac said that to combat these scammers, the DMW has partnered with various government agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Anti-Money Laundering Council and Philippine Stock Exchange to educate OFWs on avoiding scams and finding legitimate investments.
Initiatives like SEC’s ASTIG (Anti-Scam and Illegal Taking of Investments Group) program, which includes webinars, aim to equip OFWs with the knowledge to protect their earnings.
The DMW also provides support for victims through its AKSYON Fund, offering legal referrals and financial assistance.
Cacdac noted ongoing efforts to address cases, like a cargo forwarding scam that affected over 700 Filipino workers in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
“Tough penalties should match the gravity of the crime,” Cacdac said, backing a bill by the ACT-CIS party-list which seeks fines of up to PHP10 million and life imprisonment for offenders.
“Scammers destroy the lives of workers who have sacrificed so much for their families and the country,” Cacdac added. (PNA)
