The Department of Migrant Workers (Department of Migrant Workers) has ordered the closure of a manpower agency in Manila over alleged illegal recruitment activities involving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) under the guise of a government-to-government hiring program.
In a statement on Monday, the DMW said the operation was conducted by its Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) in coordination with the Manila Police District and the National Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities said the manpower agency was operating without a valid DMW license and was allegedly offering overseas jobs in Taiwan, Canada, Finland, and New Zealand for positions such as hotel workers, production operators or packers, and cleaners.
Applicants were reportedly promised monthly salaries ranging from P170,000 to P210,000 and were asked to pay as much as P260,000 for documentation and visa processing fees.
DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia warned that the scheme exposed jobseekers to possible financial exploitation and misuse of legitimate government hiring programs.
He also stressed that legitimate government-to-government recruitment does not involve private agencies or third-party intermediaries in the deployment of OFWs.
The DMW said the group’s referral-based recruitment scheme could potentially increase the number of victims if left unchecked.
So far this year, the agency has shut down 11 establishments linked to alleged illegal recruitment activities as part of its intensified enforcement campaign.
The DMW reminded aspiring OFWs to verify recruitment agencies and job orders through its official website before applying for overseas employment.
Victims and applicants seeking assistance may contact the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau via email at [email protected] or through its hotline at (+63 2) 8721-0619 for legal support and case filing assistance.
