Authorities have ordered the closure of a travel and visa consultancy office in Pasig City over allegations that it was unlawfully recruiting Filipinos for caregiver jobs in the United States, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
The agency identified the establishment as STATE 101 Travel Visa Consultancy, which the DMW said had no license or authority to recruit overseas workers and did not possess approved job orders for deployment to the US.
Operatives from the DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau and the agency’s National Capital Region office carried out the shutdown on May 14 with assistance from the Pasig City Police. The operation was conducted under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify efforts against illegal recruitment and human trafficking activities targeting overseas Filipino workers.
During the enforcement action, authorities intercepted two former overseas worker applicants who were preparing to submit requirements for supposed caregiving jobs abroad. Investigators said the two individuals, along with two other complainants, had already handed over large sums for placement and processing charges.
According to the DMW, applicants were allegedly connected to employers in the US for caregiving work using tourist visas. The consultancy reportedly offered monthly pay amounting to USD 1,800, or about PHP 109,800, while some applicants presented as trainees were allegedly instructed to pay up to PHP 150,000 for documentation and processing expenses.
The department urged individuals who may have dealt with the consultancy to coordinate with the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau for legal assistance in pursuing complaints against suspected illegal recruiters. The agency also reiterated its reminder for aspiring overseas workers to transact only with licensed recruitment firms that have approved job orders.
