PTFAIR reports on accomplishments The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, acting as Secretariat to the Presidential Task Force

Anti-Illegal Recruitment (PTFAIR), is submitting to Vice President Jejomar Binay and Labor and EmploymentSecretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz a report on the task force’s accomplishments during the first half of2013.

POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the report covers activities and achievements of memberagencies of the task force which was reactivated in 2011 and mandated to sustain a more focused,coordinated and effective program of action to curb illegal recruitment.

Vice President Binay is the chairperson of the task force, with the secretaries of DOLE and Department of Justice as vice-chairpersons.

Members of the PTFAIR are the heads of Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Interior and LocalGovernment, POEA, Bureau of Immigration, Prosecutor General, National Bureau of Investigation,Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and Manila International Airport Authority.

Admin Cacdac said the PTFAIR has adopted the two-pronged approach—preventive and remedial –developed by the POEA Anti-illegal Recruitment Branch as strategy to control illegal recruitment in thecountry.

The preventive approach involves conduct of pre-employment seminars (PEOS), anti-illegal
recruitment/trafficking in persons (AIR/TIP) seminars, training workshops for law enforcers, prosecutors,non-government organizations, local government units, and the academe; dissemination of information and education materials in the grassroots level; publication of advisories and news releases; and multimedia campaign.

 From January to June 2013, the POEA has conducted 236 PEOS sessions in LGUs, schools, and malls which attracted 46,678 participants. It has also organized 24 AIR/TIP sessions in coordination with LGUs, law enforcement agencies, schools, and Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) with 1,375 participants. Some 51,177 copies of information and education materials were distributed during the seminars. @poeaNews /myPOEA

 The POEA also expanded its partnership and network with LGUs, schools, and other private
companies and organizations and forged Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Aurora State
University, local governments of Calanasan, Flora, Conner, Luna, Kabugao, and Sta. Marcela in the province of Apayao; Bais City in Negros Oriental; Jobstreet, and Global Filipino Movement.

 The POEA has released and posted in its website seven (7) illegal recruitment related materials
including a warning on a modus operandi of illegal recruiters, cancellation of an agency’s license,
arrests of suspected illegal recruiters, and closure of offices of entities engaged in illegal
recruitment.

 Officials of the Anti-illegal Recruitment Branch have appeared in radio programs and talked about means of avoiding human trafficking and illegal recruitment.

 The Department of Foreign Affairs reported that it is in the process of creating a specialized unit to have a permanent function of recommending policies and programs to prevent illegal recruitment
and trafficking in persons.

 The Philippine Embassy in Russia has been promoting through its website, laws on illegal
recruitment and legal procedure in hiring Filipino workers.

 The DFA is also giving pre-departure seminars for passports applicants that include a module on
illegal recruitment and trafficking.

 The MIAA/NAIA Task Force in coordination with Bureau of Immigration, has investigated 183
passengers offloaded from their flights due to questionable travel documents.

 The BI turned over 41 cases of off-loaded passengers to IACAT and 7 cases to POEA for investigation and verification of travel documents. The cases referred to POEA are subject for investigation for possible recruitment violations.As a preventive strategy, the POEA also impose more stringent requirements for issuance and renewal of license to operate recruitment agencies, and stiffer penalties for violators of recruitment rules.

The remedial approach, on the other hand, includes free legal assistance to victims, prosecution of
suspected illegal recruiters, surveillance, entrapment and arrest operations, and closure of establishments suspected to be engaged in illegal recruitment; and administrative sanctions against erring licensed recruitment agencies.

 In the first half of 2013, the POEA has assisted 223 complainants in the preparation of their
complaint-affidavit. 114 cases were endorsed to DOJ and different provincial/City Prosecution
Offices for the conduct of preliminary investigation.@poeaNews /myPOEA

 The DFA, through its Foreign Service Posts, extended legal assistance to 1,040 victims of trafficking and illegal recruitment.

 The Operation Center of IACAT has received 37 illegal recruitment cases involving 110
complainants.
 Of the 150 cases it received for preliminary investigation, the DOJ has filed 10 cases in court, and but has to dismiss 43 cases for reasons of prescription, desistance, non-appearance of
complainants, and death of respondent.

 POEA lawyers have appeared as special collaborating prosecutors in 7 illegal recruitment and estafa cases filed in several Regional Trial Courts, and as special counsels during the preliminary
investigation of 50 new illegal recruitment cases involving 113 complainants.

 The PNP-CIDG, after police operations, has filed 5 separate illegal recruitment cases which has 18 complainants. The NBI has filed 27 IR cases at the Prosecutor’s Office for the conduct of preliminary investigation.

 In a case endorsed by POEA entitled People of the Philippines vs. Hannah Contreras Amul aka Ma.Contreras aka Cristina Contreras, Amul, et al. elevated at RTC Branch 20, Manila, the accused was found guilty of syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa.

 With the help of a POEA security officer, an applicant for a domestic helper job in Spain caused the arrest of her recruiter, Loreta Bautista Bayotas, at the premises of the POEA. Bayotas was brought by PNO-CIDG to DOJ for inquest proceedings for illegal recruitment and estafa.

 At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminals, the MIAA NAIA Task Force arrested 10 persons suspected as illegal recruiters, their cases now under preliminary investigation at the DOJ. The task force also referred 20 repatriated OFWs to Bahay Silungan sa Paliparan, 10 repatriated passengers to Jose Fabella Center, one elderly to Graces Shelter Foundation, and three passengers to Haven for Women for temporary shelter, counselling and other necessary services.

 The NBI has also arrested 11 persons, including a Canadian national, who were found engaged in illegal recruitment activities.

 In an entrapment operation in Pangasinan, the PNP-CIDG arrested a certain Evangeline A.
Mangahas who was recruiting workers for South Korea and charging Php1,000 for registration fee
and Php6,000 for training and processing fee from applicants. Large scale illegal recruitment was
filed against the accused but the case was eventually dismissed due to desistance of the
complainants.@poeaNews /myPOEA
 The POEA has issued two (2) Orders of Preventive Suspension (OPS) and 95 Orders of Suspension against erring licensed recruiters. It has also ordered the cancellation of the licenses of 20 recruitment agencies.

 The POEA has issued closure orders against 5 agencies confirmed engaged in illegal recruitment.
The agencies were Firstep Consultancy and Career Development, JLP Travel Assistance Agency,
Renaissance Staffing Support Center, Inc., Aqua-Gem International Manpower Corporation and
Sheen-Carm Visa Assistance and Consultancy Services. /END