PHILIPPINES: A Household Service Worker (HSW) headed for Saudi Arabia via Dubai was stopped at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 after the birth year on her birth certificate did not match the year verified through a government database, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.
The passenger, identified only as “Mia,” presented documents that listed conflicting birth years during routine checks before her scheduled departure.
A Six-Year Gap in the Records
Mia declared that she was born in 2001, which would make her 24 years old and eligible under the minimum age requirement for Filipino HSWs seeking overseas work.
When officers scanned the QR code on her birth certificate using the PSA e-Verification mobile application, the record showed a birth year of 2007. That six-year gap did not align with the details on her passport.
The BI Anti-Fraud Section later examined the document in its laboratory and confirmed the birth certificate had been tampered with. According to the Bureau, the birth year was altered to make the passenger appear old enough to qualify for household service work abroad.
The Destination
Mia was booked for Saudi Arabia, with a route passing through Dubai. Saudi Arabia remains a common destination for Filipino household service workers, and applicants must meet the minimum age requirement set for the role before they are cleared to leave.
The discrepancy in her documents surfaced before boarding, and she was not allowed to continue her trip.
What Happens Next
- Mia was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for appropriate intervention.
- Her passport will be endorsed to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for appropriate action.
The BI said its verification tools at the airport flagged the mismatch during standard document checks, allowing officers to confirm the tampering before departure.