The government is intensifying its efforts to combat the use of fraudulent travel documents, as authorities said trafficking syndicates are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to exploit border loopholes.
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) issued a public advisory in response to reports of travelers using fake CFO certificates, falsified employment contracts and forged overseas work permits. These documents are being used to bypass immigration checks and facilitate human trafficking abroad.
“We cannot become complacent,” said CFO Secretary Dante Ang II, urging Filipinos, especially those planning to work or travel overseas, to stay vigilant and transact only through legitimate channels.
Recent cases intercepted by immigration authorities include groups posing as church missionaries who were later revealed to be recruited for illegal jobs abroad as well as travelers caught with forged employment documents bound for the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
The crackdown follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to protect the country’s sovereignty by targeting foreign nationals engaged in illegal activities.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the operation was made possible through close coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), enabling swift action based on intelligence reports.
The BI intensified border inspections at major airports and seaports, with the agency reporting a rise in attempts to use altered passports and fraudulent working papers. Viado said these cases highlight the urgent need for the agency’s ongoing modernization efforts.
“Modernizing the systems of the BI has always been my drive. We are operating on an 85-year-old law, and our technologies are almost outdated,” Viado said.
To bolster the crackdown, the BI is deploying more personnel at major airports, expanding the use of biometric systems and collaborating closely with the CFO, Department of Foreign Affairs and law enforcement agencies to detect forged papers before travelers leave the country.
The public is reminded to process all travel requirements through official government offices and to report any suspicious recruiters or agents promising guaranteed overseas jobs.
