Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA — Philippine authorities have warned the public on dubious job offers in Southeast Asia's so-called "Golden Triangle", known as the center of many illegal activities in Asia.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. OIC General Raul Villanueva revealed that the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) led to job losses, and many Filipinos affected by the ban are now looking at working in POGO hubs in countries part of the “Golden Triangle” such as Thailand, where they may be paid higher.

“May nagtext sa'kin na isang mother meron siyang mga kaibigan na pogo workers na nagbabalak na pumunta sa Thailand, kasi karamihan ng mga Filipino workers ay may mga utang na may mga condo, bumili ng sasakyan. Baka kumapit sa patalim, pumunta sa 'golden triangle.' Sana, hindi naman sana mangyari na maririnig natin na torture victims ay mga Pilipino na,” Villanuena said.

The Golden Triangle is a region located in the northern parts of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

ABS-CBN News talked with some Filipinos working in a POGO hub in Pasay, who said it is easy to get a job in those offshore gaming operations abroad, and they can also get a higher salary.

“Nakakapasok agad sa POGO,” a Filipino POGO worker in Pasay said.

But PAGCOR, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) all warned against the risks of working in the Golden Triangle.

They also said some Filipinos rescued from the gaming hubs in the area were victims of torture.

They can suffer the same fate as the Chinese torture victims in Lucky South 99, PAOCC added.

“Sa Golden Triangle delikado 'yun eh. Previously yung mga dating nagiging rescue operation namin actually yung iba sinusundo nga natin yung iba sinasalubong na lang natin dito sa airport natin, may mga biktima ng torture doon ano, hindi lang isa, hindi lang dalawa. 'Yung sa mga na-rescue natin, minsan isang grupo. Ang kanilang testimonies ay nasa-subject talaga sila sa torture and nakakatakot doon wala ka sa Pilipinas nasa ibang bansa ka. Pag nakatakas sila they will go to the embassy natin then pag nasa embassy na binibigyan na lang sila ng travel authority,” PAOCC chief Usec. Gilbert Cruz said.

Cruz also said workers are initially recruited online for telemarketing or online selling jobs before being sent to the online gaming hubs.

"Sa proseso, initially they will be recruited online Whatsapp o sa Facebook or other online groups. Sasabihin sa'yo high paying ang papasukan mo sasabihin call center, ito ay isang parang telemarketing o kaya online selling and then magugulat ka na pagdating mo doon kukunin agad ang passport mo and then scamming pala yung pupuntahan mo,” he said.

They offer higher salaries that’s why a lot of workers are willing to be recruited, Cruz also said.

“Initially ang pinapangako P80,000 pataas, plus sasabihin may commission pa sila so talagang maeengganyo ka na pumasok dahil imagine P80,000 tapos may commision ka pa,” he said.

According to Cruz, there are many Filipinos in the Golden Triangle.

"Marami pa diyan sa Cambodia Golden Triangle. Golden Triangle nandyan yung Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar. Nandyan yung Vietnam. Yung Lugar na yon talagang sa boundary especially sa Myanmar nandoon scam. Kadalasan ang nare-rescue doon o ang nakakatakas, may nadadaanan sila na 8 o 9 na checkpoints then sasakay pa sila ng bangka para ma-cross nila ang boundary,” Cruz explained.

According to Villanueva, illegal POGOs in the Philippines earn around P300 million a day, where some Filipino workers are also employed.

According to Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, they are already coordinating with the employers of Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL) to help almost 30,000 workers affected by the POGO ban.

They are also holding job fairs to help those affected employees to look for a new job.

"Gusto ko sila encourage na mag-avail ng jobs fair at intervention na tulungan sila na magkaroon ng kapalit na trabaho pero di na sa gaming operations," Laguesma said.

"Sana 'wag mahikayat ang ating mga kababayan na nagta- trabaho sa POGO... Tingnan mabuti bago kagatin ang alok. Sa iligal na trabaho malalagay sa alanganin ang kanilang kaligtasan at kapakanan," he added.- report from Zyann Ambrosio, ABS-CBN News