Passengers queue at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, where immigration and airline check-in procedures are conducted for outbound international flights. – Photo via Wikimedia Commons / Mattun0211 & Sky Harbor (CC BY-SA 3.0)
A Filipina bound for China was rescued at NAIA in a suspected ‘mail-order bride’ scam. The PH Bureau of Immigration warns of rising trafficking risks.
MANILA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is urging the public to remain vigilant against the resurgence of so-called “mail-order bride” schemes, following the recent rescue of a Filipina allegedly victimized by a foreign marriage syndicate.
On July 15, immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) intercepted a 23-year-old woman who was attempting to depart the country with a Chinese national posing as her husband. The BI said inconsistencies in their statements and questionable documents raised red flags during primary inspection.
The pair was scheduled to fly to Chengdu, China. The Filipina, who hails from General Santos City, was later referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further assistance and investigation.
According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the case bears the hallmarks of a “mail-order bride” operation—a scheme where Filipinas are promised marriage and a better life abroad, but are instead trafficked or exploited, sometimes forced into labor or prostitution.
“This is a warning to women who are lured by fake relationships online or by offers to marry foreigners without really knowing them,” Tansingco said in a statement. “Many of these women end up in abusive situations or become undocumented workers abroad.”
The so-called “mail-order bride” system has long been outlawed in the Philippines under Republic Act No. 10906, or the Anti-Mail Order Spouse Act of 2016, which prohibits the matching of Filipino nationals to foreign nationals for marriage through mail, email, websites, or other similar means for a fee or through arranged setups.
Despite the law, trafficking syndicates continue to exploit social media platforms, messaging apps, and online dating sites to reach vulnerable Filipinas, often those from impoverished communities.
In the latest case, authorities suspect the woman may have been lured with promises of financial support in exchange for agreeing to a sham marriage. Her supposed “husband” was denied entry and deported.
The BI and its allied agencies are intensifying efforts at ports of exit to detect and deter human trafficking and illegal recruitment. Since January 2025, the BI has intercepted over 300 individuals suspected of being victims of trafficking or sham marriages, most bound for China, the Middle East, or Southeast Asia.
Tansingco called on families, especially in rural areas, to be wary of overseas offers that seem too good to be true.
“We urge relatives and friends to talk to their loved ones, especially young women, and educate them about the risks. A foreign spouse is not a ticket to a better life—especially if it’s based on deception,” he added.
Filipinas who are approached with offers of marriage in exchange for money, visas, or travel should report the incident to the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center, the Department of Migrant Workers, or the IACAT.
Non-government organizations such as the Blas Ople Policy Center, ECPAT Philippines, and Voice of the Free also offer legal and psychosocial support to trafficking survivors.
If you or someone you know is in danger of being trafficked, call the IACAT 1343 Actionline or visit www.iacat.gov.ph.
