The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Monday disclosed that the two Filipina caregivers who went missing in South Korea following the Chuseok holiday on 15 September have been located and identified.
According to DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac, the caregivers were arrested in Busan on 4 October and while the exact reasons for their disappearance are still under investigation, officials from the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor suspect dissatisfaction with the payment system may have played a role.
Despite the alleged violations committed by the caregivers, the DMW is providing legal assistance in coordination with the Korean Embassy. Cacdac assured that the incident will not affect the overall bilateral labor relations between the Philippines and South Korea.
Meanwhile, the DMW is working to find new placements for the several families who backed out of the caregiver pilot program. The program, designed to address South Korea's declining birth rate, has faced challenges in recent weeks.