GOVPH

Embassy Closure in Observance of Philippine and Belgian Holidays, April 2023

The public is advised that the Philippine Embassy will be closed on the following dates in observance of Philippine and Belgian holidays:

• Thursday, 06 April 2023 - Holy Thursday
• Friday, 07 April 2023 - Good Friday
• Monday, 10 April 2023 - Easter Monday and Day of Valor
• Friday, 21 April 2023 - Eid Al-Fitr

For emergencies, please contact the Embassy’s emergency number at +32 488 609 177

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Inaabisuhan ang publiko na pansamantalang magsasara ang Pasuguan ng Pilipinas sa mga sumusunod na araw ng paggunita:

• Huwebes, 06 Abril 2023 - Huwebes Santo
• Biyernes, 07 Abril 2023 - Biyernes Santo
• Lunes, 10 Abril 2023 - Lunes ng Pagkabuhay at Araw ng Kagitingan
• Biyernes, 21 Abril 2023 - Eid Al-Fitr

Para sa mga emergency, maaaring tumawag sa emergency number ng Pasuguan sa +32 488 609 177

New Email for Balik-Manggagawa Contract Verification and OEC concerns

Embassy of Republic of the Philippines
MIGRANT WORKERS OFFICE
Berlin, Germany

ADVISORY No. 2
Series of 2023

NEW EMAIL ADDRESS FOR OEC AND VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS OF BALIK-MANGGAGAWA IN GERMANY, BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG, NETHERLANDS, AND RUSSIA

The Philippine Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Berlin informs the public of its new email address dedicated to OEC matters and the verification of employment contracts of the following OFWs:

1. Balik-Manggagawa workers who changed employer on site and started employment with their new employer;
2. Workers not previously registered with the Administration - workers with no existing record of deployment with the Department of Migrant Workers or the MWO (formerly POEA); and
3. Workers who changed their country of jobsite.

You may send all your queries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. regarding the verification of employment contract and setting of online OEC appointment thru the POPSBaM.

Thank you.

15 March 2023

Abiso sa mga Filipino ukol sa Illegal Recruitment Upang Gumawa ng Cybercrime sa Timog-Silangang Asya

ABISO SA MGA FILIPINO UKOL SA ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT UPANG GUMAWA NG CYBERCRIME SA TIMOG-SILANGANG ASYA

Pinapaalalahanan ng Pasuguan ng Pilipinas sa Brussels ang ating mga kababayan sa Belgium at Luxembourg na tumataas ang bilang ng mga kaso ng mga Pilipino mula sa Pilipinas at pati na rin sa ibang bansa na-re-recruit ng mga sindikatong kriminal na nakabase sa Timog-Silangang Asia upang gumawa ng cybercrime.

Naaakit ang mga Pilipinong biktima ng mga huwad na alok na mag-trabaho bilang “Customer Service Representatives” o “Call Center Agents” sa mga bansa sa Timog-Silangang Asia. Kapag na-recruit na sila, bibigyan sila ng ticket upang lumipad sa isang bansa sa Timog-Silangang Asia, at mula roon ay dadalhin sila sa mga liblib na lugar sa mga karatig na bansa kung saan sapilitan silang magtra-trabaho bilang online scammers para sa cryptocurrency at iba pang uri ng online scam.

Karamihan sa mga Pilipinong biktima ng trafficking na nasangkot sa mga scamming activities na ito ang nakararanas ng pang-aabuso sa kamay ng mga sindikatong kriminal. Kasama rito ang abusong pisikal at sikolohikal; walang patid na oras ng pagtatrabaho sa mahirap na kondisyon; hindi pagpapasuweldo; pagkumpiska ng mga pasaporte, mobile phones at gadgets nila; at pagbayad ng labis-labis na halaga ng pera kung nais nilang umalis sa trabaho. May mga pinagbantaan ng kamatayan o pagputol ng mga kamay kung ayaw nilang ipagpatuloy ang trabaho nila. May mga binantaan din na mapapahamak ang mga kamag-anak nila sa Pilipinas. May mga biktimang ipinagbili sa iba pang sindikatong kriminal na sangkot sa pang-aalipin, kasama ang sexual slavery.

Binibigyang-diin ng Pasuguan na mag-ingat sa mga sindikatong kriminal na nag-aalok ng trabaho sa mainland ng Timog-Silangang Asya.

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ADVISORY TO FILIPINOS ON ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT TO COMMIT CYBERCRIMES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

The Philippine Embassy in Brussels would like to warn all Filipinos in Belgium and Luxembourg of the increasing number of cases of Filipinos being illegally recruited from the Philippines and in other countries by criminal syndicates based in Southeast Asian countries to commit cybercrimes.

The Filipino victims are enticed by spurious job offers to work as “Customer Service Representatives” or “Call Center Agents” in Southeast Asian countries. Once they are recruited, the Filipino victims are issued tickets to fly to a Southeast Asian country, from which they are taken to adjacent countries and brought to remote areas where they are forced to work as online scammers engaged in cryptocurrency and other online scams.

Many of the Filipino trafficked victims who engage in these online scamming activities have experienced abuse at the hands of these criminal syndicates, including physical and psychological abuse; made to work long hours under difficult work conditions; non­payment of wages; confiscation of their passports, mobile phones and gadgets; and held hostage and made to pay exorbitant amounts of money should they wish to leave. Some are even threatened with death or cutting off their hands if they do not cooperate. Sometimes they are threatened with harm coming to their families in the Philippines. Some victims were sold to other syndicates, which may be engaged in other forms of slavery, including sexual slavery.

The Embassy reiterates its warning to the public to be wary of these criminal syndicates promising employment in mainland Southeast Asia.