The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has taken decisive action, shutting down an immigration consultancy company allegedly involved in illegal recruitment. Closure orders were posted on the doors of four branches of the firm, located in Mandaluyong, Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija, Lipa in Batangas, and Apalit in Pampanga.
DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac stated that the shuttered firm lacked the necessary permit from DMW for recruitment purposes. “Their defense is that they are on a permanent residency track, their clients are not OFWs, but that’s beside the point,” Cacdac emphasized. “Because if you are on a permanent resident track, your job should only be visa consultancy… But it’s a different story if you’re offering jobs to individuals who don’t have permanent resident status.”
Undercover operations were conducted by DMW, with poseur applicants pretending to apply for jobs. “We had eight surveillance activities, and it was proven that the agency offered work for Canada and even demanded a placement fee, which is illegal,” Cacdac explained.
Various job positions were allegedly offered by the agency, including caregiving, truck driving, nurse aide, HR management, and factory work. Cacdac disclosed, “They were asking for a professional fee of P110,000.”
Geraldine Mendez, Director IV of the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau, detailed the payment process: “During the interview, there’s an immediate fee of P41,000. After that, if the applicant talks to the employer, another P41,000. Once the visa or permit is issued, another P41,000 is demanded. Then, before departure, another P40,000.”
DMW has been actively monitoring social media platforms, partnering with Facebook and TikTok to remove illegal recruitment posts. “For this year alone, we’ve shut down 10,108 illegal recruitment posts on Facebook and 4,863 on TikTok,” Mendez highlighted.
Cacdac cautioned the public to be vigilant when dealing with recruitment agencies and to verify if they possess the necessary permits. He stressed, “The number one sign of illegal recruitment is when you don’t see them recruiting you. The close second is demanding money.”
Furthermore, DMW continues its vigilance over social media platforms to prevent exploitation of Filipinos’ aspirations to work abroad. The case of the closed firm will be forwarded to the Department of Justice for prosecution.