POEA chief warns residents in quake-hit areas vs illegal recruiters


Residents in areas affected by Tuesday's magnitude-7.2 quake were warned Saturday against falling for illegal recruiters promising them high-paying jobs.
 
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said such recruiters may tend to prey on victims of calamities, such as earthquakes.
 
"Please be wary of illegal recruiters who prey upon victims of calamities in Cebu, Bohol, etc.," POEA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said on his Twitter account.
 
Several residents in Central Visayas have lost their livelihood because of Tuesday's quake, which as of Saturday evening had left 185 dead. Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment is planning a job fair for workers affected by the quake.
 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz ordered a profiling of the affected workers to facilitate the job matching process, radio dzBB reported. 
 
But Baldoz said the DOLE office in Central Visayas has yet to resume full operations as its office is still undergoing inspection.
 
"Kami hindi pa normal ang operations (Our Central Visayas office has yet to resume normal operations)," she said in an interview on dzBB.
 
In the meantime, she said the DOLE personnel there are using tents, and are coordinating with companies to determine how many workers would be affected.
 
"Depende sa situation at pangangailangan ang intervention (Our intervention will depend on the situation and the needs of the affected workers)," she said.
 
DOLE quick response teams
 
Last Thursday, the DOLE mobilized quick response teams and prepared assistance packages for workers affected by Tuesday's quake.
 
Baldoz also ordered an assessment of health and safety in all workplaces especially in Cebu and Bohol, two areas hit hardest by the quake.
 
"Engage all our partners - the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, the Industry Tripartite Council in the industries, the employers and unions, as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Network and safety practitoners - in the conduct of the assessment which aim to ensure that workplaces are safe and sound and healthy for our workers," Baldoz said.
 
Baldoz also directed DOLE Region 7 Director Chona Mantilla to prepare the DOLE's Quick Reaction Team (QRT) to assess the extent of damage on firms and establishments.
 
She also instructed Mantilla to provide DOLE’s package of assistance to workers displaced by the quake.
 
QRT is a program that assists workers displaced by closures and retrenchments of companies, including those caused by natural calamities.
 
The QRT profiles displaced workers and offers employment guidance and counseling. It also facilitates payment of separation pay and employment matching and referral for wage employment using facilities like the PhilJobnet and jobs fair.
 
It also provides information on and certification for SSS loan availment, referral to other DOLE programs, referral of qualified displaced workers to other government and non-government organizations for technical and financial assistance for livelihood or self-employment.

List of RCC-member offices
 
The DOLE Regional Coordinating Council member-offices include:
 
- Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
- Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
- National Conciliation and Mediation Board
- Employees Compensation Commission
- Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
- Professional Regulation Commission
- Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board
- National Labor Relations Commission
 
Mantilla said all DOLE employees are safe at the moment, but civil engineers from the Cebu local government and the Department of Public Works and Highways may have to assess the safety of the DOLE building in Cebu before employees will be allowed to go back.
 
The DOLE said its 25-year old regional office building in Cebu "showed cracked beams and walls and displaced electrical wiring." – KDM, GMA News 

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