Jobseekers urged to verify status of recruitment agencies before applying
MANILA, Philippines - Filipino taxi driver Rogelio Orayan followed the advice of one of his passengers and applied for a local manpower agency, only to find out that they were offering non-existent jobs.
Orayan reportedly applied for an overseas job at an agency located in Ermita, Manila as advised by one of his woman passengers.
He said the recruitment agency had offices in three different buildings and was actually charging processing fees for jobs which did not even exist – mainly because its license has apparently long been canceled by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA).
After hearing about the Blas F. Ople Policy Center’s campaign against illegal recruitment on a radio program, the taxi driver inquired whether the agency was legitimate.
Orayan was advised not to pay anything to the recruitment firm and was referred to the Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment under the Office of the Vice President.
In a matter of days, he and the Task Force planned and executed a successful entrapment operation that led to the bogus agency’s closure.
“We are calling on those who have doubts about the agency or recruiter that they are dealing with to emulate Rogelio Orayan," former labor undersecretary and Ople Policy Center head Susan Ople said in statement on Thursday.
She added that illegal recruiters were “leeches" who attach themselves to the growing number of Filipinos now in desperate need of work.
“Human trafficking syndicates and illegal recruiters are going door-to-door in search for new victims," said Ople.
She said online illegal recruitment is also rampant as shown by a recent advisory from the Philippine Embassy in London warning the public against recruiters enticing Filipinos to pay money in exchange for student visas, which they can use to work abroad.
She also cited reports about illegal recruitment happening through training centers and travel agencies.
“Only licensed recruitment agencies that strictly comply with the rules and regulations of the [POEA] can recruit workers," she said.
The campaign vs illegal recruitment
Ople said the local government and the media must intensify its campaign against illegal recruitment and human trafficking as many more jobless Filipinos fall prey to the lure of overseas employment.
As part of its campaign, the Ople Policy Center has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the POEA for a joint advocacy campaign against illegal recruitment.
It said it has also reached an understanding with 1-UTAK, an organization of different transport groups, for a sticker campaign that would bear the hotlines of the POEA, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Immigration, and the Ople Center (833-5337).
“Our approach will be on the preventive side," said Ople.
She said that if someone has doubts about a recruiter, he or she should contact the POEA, NBI or their center.
“Huwag na nating hintayin na humantong sa pagkakataon na kailangan i-rescue pa ang mga biktima sa abroad. Dapat bago sila umalis, matiyak muna na nasa tamang proseso ang lahat at protektado ang kanilang mga karapatan," she said.
[Let’s not wait for the time when we would have to rescue the victim abroad. Before they leave, we should make sure that they go through the right process and that their rights are protected]
Ople added that in order to fight illegal recruitment, all information about emergency employment schemes must be shared and disseminated as widely as possible to provide jobless Filipinos with clear alternatives to jobs abroad.
“To level the playing field and prevent nepotism as well as influence peddling, we urge these departments with job generation programs to post online the requirements, recruitment process, and names of successful applicants," she said.
In addition, the Ople Policy Center said it has also initiated talks with the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and other labor groups for a “JobWatch" campaign.
With this, job opportunities can be quickly relayed to displaced workers using different forms of new technology, specifically an online portal where job vacancies and resumés may be posted. - GMANews.TV
Orayan reportedly applied for an overseas job at an agency located in Ermita, Manila as advised by one of his woman passengers.
He said the recruitment agency had offices in three different buildings and was actually charging processing fees for jobs which did not even exist – mainly because its license has apparently long been canceled by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA).
After hearing about the Blas F. Ople Policy Center’s campaign against illegal recruitment on a radio program, the taxi driver inquired whether the agency was legitimate.
Orayan was advised not to pay anything to the recruitment firm and was referred to the Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment under the Office of the Vice President.
In a matter of days, he and the Task Force planned and executed a successful entrapment operation that led to the bogus agency’s closure.
“We are calling on those who have doubts about the agency or recruiter that they are dealing with to emulate Rogelio Orayan," former labor undersecretary and Ople Policy Center head Susan Ople said in statement on Thursday.
She added that illegal recruiters were “leeches" who attach themselves to the growing number of Filipinos now in desperate need of work.
“Human trafficking syndicates and illegal recruiters are going door-to-door in search for new victims," said Ople.
She said online illegal recruitment is also rampant as shown by a recent advisory from the Philippine Embassy in London warning the public against recruiters enticing Filipinos to pay money in exchange for student visas, which they can use to work abroad.
She also cited reports about illegal recruitment happening through training centers and travel agencies.
“Only licensed recruitment agencies that strictly comply with the rules and regulations of the [POEA] can recruit workers," she said.
The campaign vs illegal recruitment
Ople said the local government and the media must intensify its campaign against illegal recruitment and human trafficking as many more jobless Filipinos fall prey to the lure of overseas employment.
As part of its campaign, the Ople Policy Center has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the POEA for a joint advocacy campaign against illegal recruitment.
It said it has also reached an understanding with 1-UTAK, an organization of different transport groups, for a sticker campaign that would bear the hotlines of the POEA, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Immigration, and the Ople Center (833-5337).
“Our approach will be on the preventive side," said Ople.
She said that if someone has doubts about a recruiter, he or she should contact the POEA, NBI or their center.
“Huwag na nating hintayin na humantong sa pagkakataon na kailangan i-rescue pa ang mga biktima sa abroad. Dapat bago sila umalis, matiyak muna na nasa tamang proseso ang lahat at protektado ang kanilang mga karapatan," she said.
[Let’s not wait for the time when we would have to rescue the victim abroad. Before they leave, we should make sure that they go through the right process and that their rights are protected]
Ople added that in order to fight illegal recruitment, all information about emergency employment schemes must be shared and disseminated as widely as possible to provide jobless Filipinos with clear alternatives to jobs abroad.
“To level the playing field and prevent nepotism as well as influence peddling, we urge these departments with job generation programs to post online the requirements, recruitment process, and names of successful applicants," she said.
In addition, the Ople Policy Center said it has also initiated talks with the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and other labor groups for a “JobWatch" campaign.
With this, job opportunities can be quickly relayed to displaced workers using different forms of new technology, specifically an online portal where job vacancies and resumés may be posted. - GMANews.TV
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