10 OFWs sue recruiters over abusive employers

MANILA, Philippines - Ten overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have filed charges against 19 recruitment agents and firms for allegedly sending them to abusive employers in the United Arab Emirates, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said yesterday.

The 10 complainants were among 20 OFWs who were repatriated after they ran away from abusive employers, POEA chief Hans Cacdac said, adding that the cases were filed before the agency’s docket and enforcement division.

He said the POEA will provide lawyers for the OFWs to pursue their cases.

Cacdac identified the OFWs and the agencies they sued as Nerissa Molleda (Futuristic International; Cyber Manpower); Maria Malaya Padilla (Noveau Riche International; Al Mashel Agency); Diana Lou Publico (Marhaba Recruitment Agency; Golden Tower Engineering Consultant); Angela Uyammi (Dalandanan Manpower; Al Alammi Labour Recruitment/Ramil Amohtasib); Clarence Viscarra (CXM International Recruitment Services, Inc.; Expert Human Resource Consultancy Recruitment, et al); Mary Chell Afable (Sky Resources Manpower; Ras Al Khaimah); Lariza Arceo (Konnexion Manpower; Mohammed Naveed Nahrula Siddqi/Dar Almadina); Janet Bentero (Greenworld Agency; Rashi Mohammed Ali Salim Alkhaya); Jonnalyn Belmosao (Dalandan International, et al; Al Amani Labour Recruitment/Royal Emirates Supermarket LLC/Fahad); and Maida Esmael (Shames Al Sobeh/Madam Rashia). 

According to Esmael, her recruiter allegedly has no POEA license and record of deployment. Two of the agencies, Futuristic International and Noveau Riche, are under suspension, the POEA said.

“We continue to stringently warn OFWs against falling prey to illegal recruiters and to immediately report any sign or suspicion of illegal recruitment activity to the POEA,” Cacdac said.

He also reminded licensed agencies to religiously observe all regulations to ensure the protection and welfare of all OFWs or face heavy sanctions.

According to Cacdac, majority of the abused OFWs were illegally recruited women workers who risked going abroad as tourists and ended up being maltreated.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz previously ordered labor attaches in all 38 Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) to step up efforts to prevent illegal recruitment activities, in coordination with Philippine missions abroad and the POEA.

Baldoz said POLOs are authorized to cancel the accreditation of any employer found violating rules on the hiring and deployment of OFWs without having to consult the POEA.