A Manila-based recruitment firm has been ordered closed by the Department of Migrant Workers after authorities determined it was collecting fees of up to Php 260,000 from jobseekers while falsely presenting itself as part of an official government-to-government hiring arrangement.
The closure of Polaris Manpower and Documentation Services in Sta. Cruz, Manila followed a series of surveillance and validation operations by the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau, working alongside the Manila Police District and the National Bureau of Investigation. DMW Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia led the operation.
Investigators found that the firm had been recruiting applicants for positions in Taiwan, Canada, Finland, and New Zealand — including hotel workers, production operators, packers, and cleaners — without holding a valid DMW license. Prospective workers were told they could earn between Php 170,000 and Php 210,000 monthly, with fees reaching as high as Php 260,000 charged for documentation and visa processing.
Olalia cautioned that the agency’s referral-based recruitment model risked significantly widening the number of people affected. He also flagged what he described as misuse of government hiring programs, warning that the scheme left applicants vulnerable to financial exploitation.
A key clarification from Olalia addressed a common point of confusion: legitimate government-to-government hiring programs do not involve private agencies or third parties at any stage of the processing and deployment of overseas Filipino workers.
The closure of Polaris brings the total number of establishments shut down by the DMW in 2026 to 11, as the agency continues to ramp up enforcement against illegal recruiters nationwide.
Filipinos who may have transacted with the firm can seek legal assistance and case-filing support through the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau via its official Facebook page, email at mwpb@dmw.gov.ph, or hotline at (+63 2) 8721-0619. The DMW also advises aspiring OFWs to check licensed agencies and approved job orders through its official website before applying for work abroad.
