Vancouver, BC, Sept 9, 2024 — Members of Migrante BC, along with victims of illegal recruitment and labor trafficking, marched to The Promise Land Consultancy (TPLC) office in Vancouver to demand immediate refunds. This action is part of an ongoing campaign to support and advocate for migrant workers who have been exploited by unscrupulous recruitment agencies.
Migrante BC accompanied the victims to directly confront TPLC and assert their rightful claims, reinforcing their demand for justice and compensation.
“Migrante BC is here to support and advocate for the victims of labor trafficking, and we fully back their call for an immediate refund. It is heartbreaking to see these workers who are simply seeking a better life than the one they left behind in the Philippines exploited by these recruitment agencies. Life in the Philippines is already difficult, and this agency has only made the victims’ lives even harder,” said Dennise Velasco, Secretary General of Migrante BC and Deputy Secretary General of Migrante Canada.
Migrante BC also called on both the Philippine and Canadian governments to take immediate and decisive action against TPLC.
“Both governments must take this case seriously and promptly investigate and suspend The Promise Land Consultancy’s operations in both the Philippines and Canada. We urge the Department of Migrant Workers in the Philippines to expedite aid to the victims,” Velasco added.
The Philippine government’s Department of Migrant Workers has a budget of PhP15.3 billion for the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan (AKSYON) Fund, which provides legal, medical, financial, and other forms of assistance to OFWs. While a number of victims have submitted documents to the Migrant Workers Office in Vancouver, they have yet to receive assistance from the AKSYON Fund.
The migrants’ group also urged other victims to come forward.
“Your voices matter. Let us work together to take action against TPLC and other fraudulent recruitment agencies. We must rely on the collective strength of the victims, alongside advocates, to obtain justice and be heard by the governments of the Philippines and Canada,” Velasco said.
Victims may reach out to the group by messaging the Facebook pages of Migrante BC or Justice for the Victims of TPLC. ###
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Migrante BC is a chapter of Migrante Canada, an organization dedicated to advocating for the rights and welfare of Filipino migrant workers and immigrants across Canada.