Authorities intercepted and rescued a 17-year-old female passenger at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on 24 January, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Saturday.

The minor, identified only by the alias Zia, attempted to depart for Saudi Arabia via Dubai aboard a Philippine Airlines flight, where she was set to work as a household service worker. Initial travel documents, including her passport, falsely indicated that she was 25 years old.

During secondary inspection, however, the passenger, who came from Maguindanao Del Sur, later presented a birth certificate confirming that she is only 17 years old, making her underage and ineligible for overseas employment.

Investigation revealed that the victim was recruited by a recruitment agency based in Pasay City. The interception prompted immediate coordination with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), to which the minor was formally turned over for protection, assistance, and case build-up against those responsible for the illegal recruitment attempt.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the rescue underscores the administration’s firm stance against the exploitation of vulnerable Filipinos.

“This administration will not allow traffickers and illegal recruiters to prey on our children,” Viado said. “Under President Marcos’ clear directive, we will remain relentless in protecting Filipinos from being trafficked, deceived, or deployed illegally. Anyone who thinks they can falsify documents and slip through our borders is gravely mistaken.”

Viado added that the BI will work closely with IACAT and other partner agencies to ensure that those involved in the attempted illegal deployment are held fully accountable.

“This young girl was saved because our officers did their job and followed through,” he said.

“We will continue to stop these schemes at our airports and make sure victims are protected, while perpetrators face the full force of the law," Viado added.