POEA raises anew alert vs illegal recruiters
By Rose B. Palacio
Davao City (22 January) -- The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Mindanao Field Office has again raised a fresh warning against sweet-talking illegal recruiters operating in different parts of Mindanao.
POEA Mindanao Field Officer-In-Charge Ma. Carolina Agdamag said a continuous and sustained effort is being undertaken by government to inform the public on illegal recruiters.
Despite this, the proliferation of illegal recruitment activities is still going on, she said.
The public should be wary of illegal recruiters promising high-paying jobs abroad, Ms. Agdamag said.
These illegal recruiters pose as representatives of employers abroad and tell their prospects they can facilitate fast and easy deployment of high-paying jobs abroad through their connections with the government and embassies.
Agdamag said these people charge between P5,000 to P40,000 or even more for processing, registration and visa fee and does not issue receipts.
She said these unscrupulous persons sometimes stay in hotels, medical clinics or in areas where they can not be easily detected by authorities.
Those interested to apply for overseas jobs should be careful in dealing with people especially those doing house-to-house visits to scout for prospects and collect fees, she said.
Agdamag warned that applicants should guard themselves against illegal recruiters and verify fist with the POEA as to the authenticity of jobs and legality of their recruitment activities.
She said that persons claiming they can facilitate deployment abroad need not to house-to-house because it is now allowed and considered illegal.
According to Agdamag, recruitment agencies from Manila or elsewhere outside Mindanao, can only conduct recruitment in the provinces by reporting either at the POEA office or any place designated by the POEA and they should be able to produce a provincial recruitment authority which is being issued by the POEA central office. (PIA) [top]
