The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has ordered the suspension of 39 erring recruitment agencies and 18 companies by the Philippine Labor Office in Saudi Arabia in just a month.
Some 40 employers were blacklisted too, according to a statement released by DOLE.
“This is part of our campaign to cleanse the recruitment agencies,” Labor Attaché Fidel Macauyag said.
“We have over 600 Saudi recruitment agencies, but maybe we can compress this number to 100 or even less in the coming months. We do not need many recruitment agencies, we just need a few good ones, which can be our partners,” Macauyag added.
The suspension of delinquent recruitment agencies will help lessen welfare cases in Saudi Arabia.
The POLO in Riyadh has also created a team of welfare officers to help and save distressed OFWs.
POLO Riyadh is also strictly implementing the onsite verification of companies. This is a requirement imposed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
“We tell owners of recruitment agencies that they should have a welfare officer who has the skill and the compassion to take care of our OFWs, especially the distressed ones,” the labor attache added.
“I keep on telling recruitment agencies that I am putting a bridge with you so that we can discuss battles that affect the industry. However, if you have unfavorable practices towards our workers, it is about time you stop it,” he added.
POEA Chief Bernard Olalia said that Saudi Arabia is still the biggest market for Filipino workers abroad.
