The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is intensifying the campaign against human trafficking, warning of increasingly deceptive schemes targeting outbound Filipino travelers. Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said that 2025 will mark a year of modernization for the agency, including upgraded screening technology, streamlined processes, and strengthened legal frameworks to enhance border security and protect Filipinos.
The heightened vigilance comes during the peak travel season and follows an incident in April where three women attempting to leave the country under the guise of religious missionaries were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Investigations revealed they were teachers recruited for illegal employment in Thailand—highlighting emerging trafficking tactics, such as the use of religious cover stories and the “bitbit” method, where experienced travelers smuggle victims abroad.
This warning aligns with Department of Tourism forecasts of rising travel demand, in the wake of 1.2 million inbound foreign tourists in early 2025 and over 14.5 million international arrivals in 2024, generating P760 billion in tourism revenue. Immigration officials caution that increased movement heightens security risks, including misuse of tourist visas and trafficking.
In response, the BI deported 57 foreigners in February and apprehended 450 in January, many tied to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs). These actions follow the 2024 U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report, which kept the Philippines’ Tier 1 status but urged improvements in victim identification and enforcement coordination.
