Recruiters who keep passports may be liable for illegal recruitment, says DMW

 

A passport may only be kept by the person to whom it was issued

The advisory was straightforward. Recruiters, licensed or not, should not confiscate or keep passports of job applicants.

This was according to a post on the Facebook page of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Report).

A recruiter who keeps the job applicant’s passport may be considered as having violated the law against illegal recruitment under RA 8042, as amended by RA 10022.

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Section 6 (k) of the said law includes in the list of acts that may constitute as illegal recruitment the following: To withhold or deny travel documents from applicant workers before departure for monetary or financial considerations, or for any other reasons, other than those authorized under the Labor Code and its implementing rules and regulations.

The prescribed penalty for illegal recruitment is imprisonment for not less than 12 years but not more than 20 years, and a fine of not less than Php1million but not more than Php2 million.

The penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than Php2 million and not more than Php5 million shall be imposed if the illegal recruitment is large-scale, or where there are at least three victims.

Keeping somebody else's passport is also prohibited under the Philippines' Passsport Law, which says all passports are properties of the national government, and may be kept only by person under whose name it was issued.

The advisory further stated that if the recruiter confiscates the passport, the job applicant must insist on taking it back, or report the case immediately to the Department of Migrant Workers.

DMW's passport advisory carries an image of ''Sol'' the cat

The reactions to the advisory, however, showed that agents routinely withholds passports before deployment, or in the Middle East especially, they take it back again upon arrival at the country of destination, and turned over to the employer.

One said: “Andami pong mga agency na kumukuha ng passport, can I mention them here base sa naranasan ko? Grabe may mga agency pa na kapag mag withdraw ka ng docs may bayad na 1000.” (There are so many agencies that keep passports, can I mention them here based on my experience? It’s terrible, some agencies even charge you 1,000 if you withdraw your documents).

Another said: “Local or international, sa oras ng pag aapply, hawak na nila ang passport. Mahahawakan lang (ng worker) pag nag flight na. At pagdating sa employer kukunin din. Kasi isip nila kailangan nila kunin ang passport para di tumakas si kadama. LNG pag nagfligth na. At pag dating sa employer kukunin din. Kasi isip nila kailangan nila kunin ang passport para di tumakas si kadama. At pag ibinalik ng amo si kadama sa agency, kukunin din ng agency ang passport.”

(Whether for local or international deployment once a job seeker applies with an agency they will take the passport away. The worker can only get it back upon boarding their flight to the job site. And once they get to the employer’s house the passport is again taken away. That’s because they do not want the kadama or worker to escape. But once the employer brings the worker back to the agency, it is the agency that takes it for safekeeping).

Still another worker asked, “Paano po kung kinukuha ng employer ng mga OFW, ano po ang dapat gawin ng OFW? Kung magsasabi po ba sa agency ay magkaka aksyon at babawiin ito sa amo? Kung hindi pinansin ng agency ano po gagawin ng DMW/OWWA/Embassy? Magbibigay po ba sila ng advice sa mga agency at amo?

(What if the OFW’s employer takes it, what should the OFW do? If the worker informs the agency, will action be taken, or will the agency get it back from the employer? If the agency does not do anything, what will the DMW/OWWA/Embassy do? Will they advise the agency and employer not to withhold the passport?)

To report on the illegal confiscation of passports, email info@dmw.gov.ph or call the emergency hotline 1348. You may also scan the QR code in the attached poster.

 

Suspected illegal recruiter for New Zealand jobs arrested in Iloilo

 

DMW posted this blurred photo of Robejes 

Getting to your dream work destination abroad does not mean the path you took to get there was legal or safe.

This realization came a bit late for a group of Filipinos who claimed to have paid between Php100,000 to Php300,000 each to get to New Zealand last year, where they were promised jobs in different professions or industries.

Those who couldn’t pay the amount charged were referred to a lending company by Paragon Visa Consultancy, which recruited them for the supposed jobs, so they could immediately pay up, and leave the country

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But on arrival in New Zealand, they were dismayed to learn that there was no job waiting for them, or the job they eventually got was not the one promised them by Paragon.

They later learned that the authorities in New Zealand raided the Auckland house of Julie Pearl Robejes, who was known to them as the one behind Paragon, on suspicion of engaging in recruitment activities without a license.

Do not transact with visa consultancies that offer jobs abroad

Hearing this, some decided to just go back to the Philippines, while the others decided to stay on in New Zealand and take on temporary jobs.

Thirteen of them filed formal complaints of syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa againt Robejes with the Department of Migrant Workers, which pursued their cases with the court.

On Mar 23 this year the Regional Trial Court in Iloilo issued warrants of arrest against Robejes and two of her staff, but it wasn’t until the evening of Aug 13 that she was arrested by police in La Paz, Iloilo.

While in police custody, Robejes suffered persistent stomach ache that she had to be rushed to St Paul’s Hospital in Iloilo City on Aug 16. She has since recovered.

At the moment she is at the Female Custodial Facility while awaiting the final disposition and turnover of her case to the court.

DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau is calling on others who might have been victimized by Robejes and her associates to reach out to them through https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip so they can be given legal assistance.

Alternatively they can go directly to the DMW or to the nearest police station and file a complaint.

 

 

Illegal recruiter allegedly scammed 1,700 Filipinos

 

Czech Republic is one of European countries offering range of jobs to Filipinos (File)

A Filipino who was arrested last July 20 in Mexico, Pampanga, allegedly scammed no fewer than 1,700 people who paid between Php80,000 and Php130,000 to secure non-existent jobs in Europe.

Mazhoor U. Khusin, also known as “Maz” is suspected of being the mastermind in the massive illegal recruitment scheme that offered permanent residency in several countries in Europe which was supposed to serve as their pathway to work.

Initial investigations reportedly revealed that the victims were reeled in by posts saying there were only “few slots left” for the offered jobs, and that all they needed was a Schengen visa to be able to work.

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The jobs ranged from working in factories, farms or hotels in Poland, Lithuania or the Czech Republic.

Following the arrest, Khusin was served with around 30 warrants of arrest on charges of illegal recruitment in a large scale, which is a non-bailable offense.

The license of the recruitment firm, ALJU International Manpower Services, Inc. was also canceled after it was found to be linked to the alleged recruitment scam.

According to reports, Khusin served as an officer of ALJU, which previously faced regulatory sanctions for misrepresenting employment opportunities, excessive placement fees, and failure to reimburse or refund affected applicants.

The Department of Migrant Workers again warned jobseekers to be always wary of offers of high salaries and permanent residency in counties abroad, and assurances of quick deployment.

Before handing over money, job applicants should first check with the Department of Migrant Workers if the employment agency is licensed to recruit Filipinos for jobs overseas. 

To report suspected illegal recruitment activities, contact the DMW Migrant Workers Protection Bureau through their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip, by email at mwpb@dmw.gov.ph, or by calling their hotline at +63 2 8721-0619 for legal assistance in filing cases.

 

Illegal recruiter for Singapore job jailed 14 years & fined P1M

 

The accused charged victim Php737,357 for the fake job

A Filipino man who charged a job applicant more than Php700,000 for a non-existent job as nursing aide in Singapore has been sentenced to between 14 and 16 years in prison by a Regional Trial Court judge in Caloocan City.

Roderick R. Paculdar was also fined Php1 million and ordered to pay back the victim Php737,357 with 6 % interest every year.

According to the findings of the court, the complainant paid the money to Paculdar from March to April 2024 after he promised to work on her deployment to Singapore.

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The victim sought help from the Department of Migrant Workers when Paculdar failed to make good on his promise to secure the job for her.

Upon checking, the Migrant Workers Bureau of the DMW found that the accused was not connected to a licensed recruitment agency, nor was he licensed on his own to recruit or deploy Filipinos for work abroad.

When Paculdar again asked for an additional Php6,500 from the victim, the DMW took her to the Caloocan City Police, which set up an entrapment operation on Apr 18, 2024 outside a Jollibee outlet at the SM City mall in the city.

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Police operatives recovered the marked money from Paculdar after the sting operation was revealed.

The court found Paculdar guilty of illegal recruitment under the Labor Code and Republic Act No. 8042, as amended by RA No 10022.

In a statement, the DMW again reminded overseas job applicants to ensure that the recruiter or recruitment agency they are dealing with is licensed before making any payment. In case of any suspicious job offers, the DMW must immediately be informed.

 

Filipino nurses who want to work in Canada, take note

 

MWO Vancouver will conduct the information session

Filipino nurses who are interested to know the rules, requirements and procedures for getting admitted as a registered nurse in British Columbia, Canada may attend an online information session this Friday, August 14, 4:00-6:30pm.

The briefing will be conducted by the Migrant Workers Office in Vancouver, Canada, and is open to all Filipino nurses, wherever they may be.

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MWO Hong Kong shared a poster on the session on its Facebook page, saying it could help Filipinos in Hong Kong gain additional knowledge.

The briefing is also aimed at helping Filipino migrant workers avoid taking irregular migration pathways and protect them from illegal recruiters.

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There are only a limited slots available, so everyone is encouraged to register promptly through this link: (𝑏𝑖𝑡.𝑙𝑦/3𝑇𝐻49𝑁𝑀) 𝑜 scan the 𝑄𝑅 𝑐𝑜𝑑𝑒 in the accompanying poster.

MWO HK also reiterated a warning for all Filipino jobseekers to ensure they go through the legal and authorized process approved by the Department of Migrant Workers if they want to work abroad. 

Filcom leader Aziz Tuano is confirmed as hiker found dead in Tai Po

 

Aziz with Suzette in one of the many hikes they took together (Suzette Bagatua's FB page)

Friends and family members have confirmed that Aziz Tuano, a longtime Filipino community leader in Hong Kong and migrant worker, was the man found dead by hikers along Plover Cove Country Park trail in Tai Po yesterday afternoon.

His partner, Suzette Bagatua, who used to also work in Hong Kong but has since moved back to her hometown in Zamboanga del Norte, told The SUN she will fly in as soon as she finishes preparing the documents she needs to bring his body home.

Tuano, who turned 64 only last month, was found dead by rescue workers yesterday afternoon after receiving a call from other hikers at 2:17pm. An initial post-mortem determined he had been dead for between six and 12 hours.

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A bloodied rock found nearby appeared to indicate Tuano fell and hit his head on it.

Marites Nuval, one of his longtime buddies and a fellow former president of Global Alliance Hong Kong, said Tuano was hiking alone. He started off Saturday morning amid a “very hot weather” warning from the Hong Kong Observatory.

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Nuval said Tuano was a regular hiker and former soldier who remained fit without any known ailment. He came to Hong Kong in 1986 with his employer, a prominent Filipino businessman who lives on Tregunter Path in Mid-Levels

Despite this, his friends often reminded him not to hike alone, especially to remote areas as was his wont, which he started doing after Bagatua who used to accompany him on his hikes, went home for good two years ago.

Still from a video Aziz sent to Marites Saturday morning showing the start of his hiking trail

Shortly after 10am on Saturday, Tuano sent a short video of his hiking trail to Nuval, showing a long unshaded and paved road in the middle of the Plover Cove Reservoir. That was the last communication she had with her longtime friend.

That evening, Bagatua called Nuval as Tuano was no longer picking up his phone. Together, they and a few other friends, called over and over until his line went dead.

“Sa umaga pa lang (Sunday) iba na ang nararamdaman ko, pero pinag pray ko na sana walang masamang nangyari,” Nuval said. (Early Sunday morning, I started feeling uneasy but I just prayed that nothing bad had happened).

Bagatua also saw news reports about a man being found dead on the Plover Cove hiking trail that afternoon, and contacted Nuval to confirm if that was the same place Tuano had sent a video from. Dread washed over them both after Nuval said it was.

At 4:50pm, after seeing that Tuano’s messenger account was active again, Nuval called, heart pounding, but it was a police officer who picked up and said Tuano had met an accident and they needed to contact his employer immediately. Nuval knew then that something terribly wrong had happened.

His employer was duly informed, and he is reportedly flying to Hong Kong today to help with identifying and repatriating the remains.

Aziz's selfie during one of the hikes he had with Suzette and Marites

Nuval is heartbroken, thinking that her former hiking buddy could have been saved had there been someone with him, or the hikers who saw him had decided to take the trail hours earlier

“Siguro biglaan ang pagkatumba kaya di na sya nakatawag ng 999 at wala sigurong nag hike doon last Saturday kasi nga po sobrang init” (He might have fallen suddenly so he was not able to call 999 and there were probably no other hikers around because it was really very hot).”

The official cause of his death will be known after an autopsy. Funeral arrangements will be announced in due time.

In the meantime, people who knew Tuano, especially the many friends he made throughout his long stay in Hong Kong, are asked to pray for his eternal repose.

OWWA clarifies anew terms for use of OFW lounges

 

OFW Lounge at NAIA Terminal 3

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has amended the rules at its OFW lounges at the Manila Airport, to accommodate those who arrive from abroad and have domestic connecting flights within 24 hours.

The amendment came after a Facebook post that became viral recounted an OFW's experience of being initially rejected upon her arrival at NAIA Terminal 3 from Miami, because her connecting domestic flight was more than 6 hours later. She was later accommodated, but only for six hours.

“OWWA listens to the experiences, comments, and suggestions of our OFWs,” it said in a Facebook page. “… we apologize for the added fatigue and frustration this has caused to our compatriots upon their return home. Every comment is an opportunity to review our policies and further improve our service.”

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The post said OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne “PY” Caunan, along with OWWA Management, visited the OFW Lounge at NAIA Terminal 3 to observe the actual operations, listen to OFWs, meet with frontline personnel, and ensure that the clarifications and improvements are clearly and properly implemented.

OWWA clarified the following guidelines:

• Returning OFWs who arrived from an international flight and have a confirmed domestic connecting flight within 24 hours of their arrival may use the OFW Lounge.

• PINDUTIN ITO PARA SA DETALYE

• But the maximum of six hours per Loungevisit for all other OFWs will remain to ensure equitable access and to provide an opportunity for everyone to use the Lounge.
• The 24-hour period for inbound OFWs with connecting flights is the basis of eligibility and does not imply a continuous 24-hour stay in the Lounge.
• Extension of stay may be considered based on available capacity and verified special circumstances, such as medical needs, senior citizen status, disability, and other situations requiring additional assistance.

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The OWWA post said that every day, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 OFWs depart from NAIA. “The seating capacity of the OFW Lounge in Terminal 3 is limited to 216 and 140 in Terminal 1. The six-hour limit is important so that more OFWs can take advantage of the facility, especially those whose departure time is approaching,”it added.

OWWA has an online, real-time OFW Lounge Management and Monitoring System to monitor the number of users and available seating capacity in each Lounge. Before entering, OFWs can see on the display outside how many slots are still available. Through this, they can immediately know the actual situation in the facility, avoid overcrowding, and better manage the use of the Lounge.

“When the Lounge is full, our personnel will implement a proper waiting or queuing system. OFWs will also be clearly informed of the current occupancy, expected waiting time, and available assistance,” OWWA said.

It added that all frontline personnel were reminded of the proper implementation of the clarified guidelines.

“Beyond following the policy, they are expected to treat each OFW with understanding, patience, respect, and concern, especially those who are tired from long trips or have special needs,” the OWWA said.

OWWA will also coordinate with the New NAIA Infra Corp. to study possible measures to improve operations and expand the OFW Lounges.

“We also request that respect and understanding be practiced among each other. May personal judgments be avoided against the OFW who shared their experiences and our frontline personnel who continue to serve. We can express our opinions, listen to each side, clarify policies, and improve services without hurting or belittling anyone,” the OWWA said.

Marcos' SONA highlights OFW concerns, anti-corruption moves and territorial integrity

 

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today highlighted expanded programs for overseas foreign workers, especially those affected by the Middle East crisis, where 2.5 million Filipinos live and work.

“We started with those directly affected by the conflict: helping our OFW compatriots who were caught up in the war,” he said in his fifth State of the Nation speech at the Batasang Pambansa. “Since the war broke out, we have safely brought back more than 12,000 of our compatriots. We have provided various assistance to more than 140,000 OFWs in the midst of the conflict in the Middle East, such as food, financial assistance, medical care, and shelter.”

The OFWs who returned to the country received livelihood assistance, through the AKSYON Fund, the OWWA-Kabuhayan program, PESO, or the Bayanihan for Balikbayang Manggagawa job fairs to find jobs in the Philuippines and abroad.

“In addition to them, our returning OFW teachers will be entering public schools where they are needed the most,” he added.

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The concern also extended to their families, who benefited along with the majority.

“We took immediate action to stop the rapid increase in commodity prices. Banks and e-wallets were encouraged to reduce standard charges for each online transaction. So now, many banks and e-wallets have lowered or removed their online transaction fees,” Marcos said.

“Banks have also given up to six months in loan repayment; and up to one year if the loan was used for agriculture,” he said. “The GSIS and SSS did the same for the debts of their members, as well as the NHMFC for those who borrowed cheap housing, and the Pag-IBIG Fund for affected OFWs.”

Marcos also said the Pag-IBIG Fund has increased increased the limit for housing loans to P10 million.

Agreements with other countries. which are also continuing to increase, have resulted in additional opportunities for employment abroad. “We have also increased the minimum wage of our OFWs who work as domestic workers,” he said.

To encourage young people to graduate from college, the Office of the President has allocated P100,000 for five students in each barangay nationwide. They are now our Presidential Scholars, he said.

Marcos is flanked onstage by House Speaker Bojie Dy and Senate President Win Gatchalian

In his speech that lasted one hour and 26 minutes, Marcos drew the most applause when he vowed to pursue corruption cases regardless of blood or political ties, called on Congress to amend laws to lower electricity charges, and declared commitment to defend the country’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine sea.

He announced that the Ombudsman is preparing to file multiple charges against the “former Speaker”, meaning his cousin, Rep. Martin Romualdez, who has been linked to multi-billion irregularities in the country’s flood control projects.

"Malapit na ang paghahain ng patung-patong na kaso laban sa dating Speaker. Masakit man sa akin ito, pero kailangan nating gawin ang tama (Multiple cases are about the filed against the former Speaker. Painful as it is for me, we need to do what is right), Marcos said.

He added the country must come ahead of family interests.

“Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking pamilya. Ako ay Pangulo ng Pilipinas at ang tungkulin ko ay sa inyo, mga kapwa ko Pilipino (I am not the President of my family. I am the President of the Philippines, and my duty is to you, my fellow Filipinos),” he added, to boisterous applause.

The President said that nearly Php25 billion worth of public fund and assets have been recovered or frozen, while more than Php800 million has already been returned to the National Treasury.

Another well-applauded part that even led the audience to give him a standing ovation was his call on Congress to immediately amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) that allows power companies to charge systems loss to customers.

 “Hindi naman kasalanan ng consumer kung bakit nagkaroon ng systems loss. Kaya hindi naman tama na kailangan sila pa ang pagbabayarin dito (It is not the consumer’s fault that there is systems loss. It is therefore unfair that they are the ones being made to pay for this),” he said.

While acknowledging that consumers are also made to pay value added tax or VAT on their electricity consumption, he did not call for this additional charge to be scrapped.

Marcos reserved the last part of his SONA to respond to recent tensions in the West Philippine Sea, including the wounding of two Philippine Navy personnel during a violent confrontation with Chinese Coast Guards neary Ayungin Shoal.

Chinese state media later put out a video over the dispute depicting Filipinos as monkeys, prompting Marcos to summon the Chinese ambassador to Malacanang to protest.

Without directly referring to China, Marcos denounced recent insults directed at Filipinos.

“Our unity and collective consciousness are challenged now greater than ever before. A common threat lies before us, directed against our dignity and self-respect as a people,” Marcos said.

“Of late, our very humanity has been called into question.”

He wrapped up his critique with one of the most memorable parts in his speech.

“Let me remind our friends and our detractors: Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars. We are respectful, and we are dignified. We are Filipinos, and we do not yield,” he said, drawing a drawn-out applause and cheers from the crowd.

 

 

Application for Sept board exam for teachers in HK ongoing

Application period for the 2026 LEPT is from July 15 to Aug 15 this year

Education graduates in the Philippines who want to take the September 2026 Licensure Examination for Professional Teacher (LEPT) in Hong Kong could apply now until August 15.

Hong Kong was again chosen as one of the overseas testing centers for the 2026 LEPT, along with Thailand and Vietnam. Last year, the LEPT was also held in Hong Kong, and about 58% of all those who took the exam, passed.

To apply and pay online, click on this link for the PRC Licensure Examination and Registation Information System (LERIS): https://online.prc.gov.ph/

Basahin ang detalye!

After completing the online application and payment, applicants shall submit clear scanned copies of the duly accomplished application form, passport-size picture, and other prescribed application documents on or before 15 August 2026 through the following Google Form:

https://forms.gle/2tXi9FHToTLnDjaJ8.

Make sure all the requirements are uploaded no later than August 15.

Applicants are advised to prepare the original and hard copies of all submitted documents for presentation to the PRC team during the onsite evaluation at the designated testing centers.

For queries and concerns, applicants may email the Licensure Office at licensure.office1@prc.gov.ph.

For updates and other announcements, please visit the PRC website at https://prc.gov.ph/ or follow the PRC Official Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/professionalregulationcommission

 

 

HK OFWs warned against illegal recruitment, human trafficking

 

Contracts must be verified to prevent illegal recruitment & human trafficking, says Labatt Chavez

Philippine government officials have often told Filipinos that working or moving to another country without going through required documentation is not only illegal, but makes the worker susceptible to abuse and all sorts of exploitation.

Just how dangerous this could be?

Labor Attache Cesar Chavez, Jr. told some 200 Filipino migrant workers who gathered at the OFW Global Center on Sunday about real-life horror stories encountered by those who bypassed established government procedures, lured by promises of a cushy life abroad.

Press for details

Labatt Chavez stood in for Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernardo Olalia, who was reportedly stopped from flying to Hong Kong by his doctors because of a medical emergency.

As an example, Chavez said Filipinos enticed to move to Cambodia supposedly as highly-paid call center agents often found themselves being forced to work in scam hubs. If they did not do as told, or failed to reach quotas set for them, they were beaten up severely.

To drive home the point, he showed several photos of Filipinos rescued from the scam hubs who were found with horrific injuries inflicted by their captors. 

Photos of horrific abuse inflicted on Filipinos forced to work in scam hubs

“Bakit naman kasi tayo papayag na magtrabaho doon e mas mahirap pa sila sa atin?” (Why would we even want to go there when people there are poorer than us?) said Chavez.

“Trafficking is an organized crime,” he added. “Victims cannot seek police help because they know that what they are doing is illegal.”

The same goes for those who were already working in Hong Kong but were lured to another country with promises of higher pay and easier jobs, but were often misled.

Basahin ang detalye!

Chavez said illegal recruitment or human trafficking (or the recruitment, transporation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force or fraud so as to exploit them for profit) of Filipinos is now widespread in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

“Diyan po ang napakaraming illegal recruitment activities ngayon…” (A lot of illegal recruitment activities are happening in these places), he said. “Our OFWs are being brought to Europe, especially the eastern part, or the Baltic region, in Australia and North America.”

Administrator Caunan talks about dire situation of some OFWs in Poland

Administrator PY Caunan of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) who also attended the “kamustahan” with members of the Filipino community, cited her own real-life experiences with about 500 Filipinos she met recently in Poland.

Many of them, according to her, were undocumented so they were hesitant to seek help from OWWA. “Tinutulungan pa rin namin sila” (We still help them, anyway)

Many are poorly paid, earning less than 1,000 euros (about HK$9,000) a month, much of which goes to paying for their upkeep.

And yet, to get there, they admitted paying between Php300,000 to Php400,000 to their recruiters who by skipping the prescribed processes, ultimately put the workers at risk.

“Fifty years na nating ginagawa ang pagpapadala ng mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa, alam na dapat ninyo ang mga patakaran,” Caunan said. (We have been sending Filipinos to other countries for the past 50 years, so you should all know the rules).

Even granting that salaries in the Philippines often cannot match those offered in overseas destinations, she said Filipinos who want to go abroad for work should always make sure they go through the process.

“Kung ang kontrata mo verified, alam namin kung sino ang amo ninyo, alam namin kung nasaan kayo, alam namin kung sino ang papanagutin pag may nangyari sa inyo.” (If your contracts are verified, we know who your employer is, we know where you are, we know who should be held responsible if something happens to you).

Caunan said this is the reason why the Department of Migrant Workers has been brokering deals with various overseas destination so all Filipinos who get to work there would fly out from the Philippines and pass through the rigorous system set up for departing OFWs.

This is also the reason why the DMW and OWWA have been focusing on retooling and upskilling OFWs so they will have better job alternatives or prospects, either overseas or at home, and will not be tempted to become undocumented workers.

To guard against illegal recruitment or human trafficking at overseas posts, Chavez  the processing of documents should only be done in the Philippines.

“Pag third country, dapat walang short-cut kasi bawal yun.” (There should be no short-cuts for third-country recruitments because that’s not allowed).

HK is one of 3 main transit points for trafficked Filipinos 

The other guidelines include transacting only with licensed recruitment agencies, which must have an approved job order (JO) for them; ensuring that all transactions are made in the agency’s office; and that all payments are receipted.

But he warned that even licensed recruiters have been found to commit recruitment violations, like applying for only 50 JOs then recruiting 5,000 people. After word spreads that they are legitimate recruiters they start collecting and amassing money from subsequent applicants, even while knowing that the quotas given them had already been all filled.

(To report suspected cases of human trafficking call the action line, 1343 if in the Philippines and +632 1343 if outside the country)