Senator Joel Villanueva has urged the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to go beyond taking down fake job advertisements and pursue the people behind online illegal recruitment schemes.
During the DMW budget hearing, Villanueva cited government figures showing that 87,011 online scam posts were taken down in 2025, while another 44,079 were removed in the first half of 2026.
But the senator said the figures also showed the need for stronger prosecution and convictions.
“Prevention, prosecution, conviction. Kailangan nating mas paigtingin ang campaign natin against online illegal recruitment,” Villanueva said.
The senator noted that there were only nine convictions for online scams in 2025 and four in the first six months of 2026.
“Makita pa lang natin dito sa figures, talagang ito iyong pinagkakaabalahan ng mga kawatan. But of course, ibang istorya na itong conviction,” he said.
DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said one of the latest schemes involves identity theft, with scammers pretending to be legitimate and licensed recruitment agencies.
This makes the scheme harder to detect because the agency being impersonated may actually appear on the government’s list of licensed recruiters.
Olalia advised jobseekers to personally visit the main or authorized office of a recruitment agency, deal directly with its authorized personnel and avoid sending payments through digital wallets or other online facilities.
Villanueva also called for closer coordination among government agencies, particularly in cases involving possible links between illegal recruitment and trafficking networks.
He said the government must also watch out for possible insiders who may be helping these operations.
“Kung may mga networks na gumagamit ng legitimate identities, online platforms, o kung may mga insiders na sangkot, kailangan coordinated ang response ng government para matukoy at mapanagot ang mga nasa likod nito,” Villanueva said.IMT
