POEA warns the public against unlicensed recruitment agencies

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration recently revealed a list of recruitment agencies with no valid licenses and no job orders for Iceland and Sweden to warn the public.

These agencies are operating in different parts of the country, including Cebu, and are hiring workers mostly for abroad even if these failed to secure valid license from POEA for not being able to comply with the conditions for the grant of such license.

Among these are Vitamin and Cebu Artists International Inc., A-M Phili Professional Services Corp., Big Circle International Manpower Management Agency, Emmeri International Inc.; Jang International Promotions and Management Corp., Mecprego International Inc., Maritima de Manila MGM Systems Inc., Princess Talent Center Production Inc., Rising Sun International Human Resources Center, Starlink International Promotion Inc. and Studio 85 Promotions.

POEA encouraged the public to report to the POEA any recruitment activity conducted by these agencies.

Meanwhile, POEA also advised the public to be aware that Cebu Manpower Corporation has no job orders for Iceland and Sweden. In an advisory, the employment agency said that Cebu Manpower has no accredited principal or employer and approved job orders for these countries.

POEA said that although Cebu Manpower has a license valid from April 12, 2004 to April 11, 2008, it is not allowed to recruit workers for Iceland and Sweden as it is under preventive suspension and has no job orders for these countries.

The employment agency also stressed that the country's labor attaché in London has yet to validate the manpower request of a principal in Iceland for various skilled workers through Cebu Manpower. POEA revoked the accreditation of an employer in Sweden following confirmation by the Philippine Embassy that the factory is virtually not operational.

Due to proliferation of unlicensed agencies and illegal recruiters, POEA issued a stern warning to public to first check if the agency or the recruiter is licensed with POEA. It also reminded applicants not to deal with agencies without job orders even if they are licensed, not deal with any person who is not an authorized representative of a licensed agency, and not to transact business outside the registered address of the agency. If the recruitment is conducted in the province, the public is advised to check if the agency has a provincial recruitment authority.

POEA also advised applicants not to pay more than the allowed placement fee and not pay any placement fee unless they have a valid employment contract and an official receipt. It added that placement fee should be equivalent to one-month salary, exclusive of documentation and processing costs.

It also reminded applicants not to deal with training centers and travel agencies, which promise overseas employment and to not accept a tourist visa and not to deal with fixers. - Wenna A. Berondo