The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported that immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 intercepted a female trafficking victim who was allegedly scheduled to undergo an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedure on 14 January.

According to the BI, the 34-year-old victim, whose identity is withheld under anti-trafficking laws, was attempting to depart the country on Turkish Airlines flight TK265 bound for Cyprus.

Initially, the woman claimed she was traveling alone for a leisure trip. However, she was flagged after inadvertently presenting an invitation from an IVF clinic.

Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the victim had agreed to serve as a surrogate mother for a person she met on a dating app in exchange for P300,000 after giving birth.

“The scheme continues to thrive, with a rise in online offers for surrogacy or IVF-related services, and victims often coerced into passing certain laboratory assessments,” said BI Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado. “We urge women to be wary of such schemes, as this is a clear form of human trafficking,” he added.

The victim was immediately referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further assistance.