The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the interception of a Filipina on 30 December at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 after an immigration officer detected that her Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) was fake. This was made possible through the BI’s joint verification system with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

The 27-year-old aspiring overseas worker was bound for Hong Kong with a connecting flight to Malaysia. As part of her travel process, she submitted an OEC and presented herself as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW). However, the joint BI-DMW system flagged the OEC as unregistered. Further verification by DMW personnel at the airport confirmed that the document was counterfeit and issued under another individual’s name.

During questioning, the passenger admitted that she had sought assistance from a friend to process her OEC. The friend had introduced her to a person she met in Parañaque, who provided the fake documents in exchange for P10,000.

Immigration Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado commended the interception and highlighted the role of technology in preventing illegal activities.

"Using our collaborative verification method with the DMW has been essential in identifying fake documents. The BI remains committed to protecting Filipinos by stopping attempts to use fraudulent OECs," Atty. Viado stated. "I urge the public to process their documents through proper channels to avoid falling victim to scams," he added.

The female passenger has been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation and for the filing of charges against her recruiter.

Atty. Viado also reminded aspiring OFWs to avoid shortcuts and unauthorized intermediaries, as scams involving fake OECs are becoming increasingly common. He recommended that individuals verify job offers with the DMW to ensure their safety and protection.