At least five Filipino domestic helpers recruited in Hong Kong said they were not paid the promised amount despite carrying babies to full term, with one woman told that the child born from surrogacy had “defects”.
The consulate told the South China Morning Post that it was looking into the alleged human trafficking cases, with initial investigations showing that the women, aged between 25 and 35, were being lured by social media adverts posted by former helpers who had relocated to Central Asia.
Cesar Chavez Jnr, the Philippine labour attache in Hong Kong, said that discussions with the Hong Kong government on the surrogacy scheme were at an initial stage, but added that disclosing more information “would trigger unwarranted pressure”.
The consulate also said: “Efforts are being undertaken at various levels to find solutions to this issue.”
But it said it could not comment further so as not to pre-empt discussions “with relevant stakeholders and to preclude those involved in the scheme from learning of interventions on this matter”.