The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed its Consular Department to contact the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam and ask for support for the Vietnamese citizens among over 1,000 forced laborers recently rescued in Pampanga Province of the Philippines.

More than 1,000 people, including Vietnamese nationals, were rescued by local authorities on May 4 from forced labor at an establishment owned by the Clark Sun Valley Hub group in Pampanga Province, near Manila, as reported by the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines.

The rescued individuals are safe at a facility designated by Philippine authorities.

The Vietnamese Embassy promptly visited the rescued nationals to gather their information, provide medical aid to those with health issues on May 6 and 9, and is collaborating with relevant Philippine agencies to develop assistance plans.

Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that it proposed the Philippine authorities help ensure accommodation for the Vietnamese nationals, update the Vietnamese side on their residence status, and assist Vietnam in repatriating those citizens whose stay is not permitted by the Philippines as soon as possible.

The ministry urged the Philippines to enhance cooperation in resolving the forced labor case involving the Vietnamese citizens and take action against violators.

The ministry also called on those who have information about the people involved in forced labor or have been lured to work overseas to provide details via the citizen protection switchboard +84 981848484, the Consular Department’s email baohocongdan@gmail.com, the citizen protection hotline of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines +63 9982756666, or their nearest representative agencies of Vietnam.

AFP quoted a Philippine official as saying on Saturday that local authorities rescued 1,090 people from several Asian nations who were allegedly trafficked into the country, held captive, and forced to run online scams.

Their passports were confiscated and they were made to work up to 18 hours a day, with salary deductions for interacting with colleagues or taking extended breaks.

At least 12 suspected ringleaders of the scheme, including seven Chinese nationals, four Indonesians, and a Malaysian, have been arrested and are set to be charged with human trafficking.

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