The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has taken action against the Institute of Building Foreign Language Inc. (IBFL) in Baguio City, shutting down its operations for allegedly recruiting Filipinos for jobs in Japan without the required government authorization.
DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia and Assistant Secretary Francis Ron de Guzman, in collaboration with the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) and Baguio City Police, sealed the IBFL office located at No. 11 M. Ponce Street, Quezon Hill Proper.
Olalia emphasized that IBFL lacked the necessary DMW license for recruitment and did not have authorized job orders for Japan, labeling their activities as illegal.
The investigation showed that IBFL was unlawfully recruiting graduates for various positions in Japan, including farming, caregiving, factory work, and food processing, with salaries ranging from Php 80,000 to Php 100,000.
“The center’s closure followed a complaint from a job seeker who had paid more than P57,000 for a plane ticket, service fees, and visa processing, only to find out that the recruitment was not sanctioned,” the DMW said in a statement.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong backed the DMW’s actions, mandating the revocation of IBFL’s business permits.
The officers and employees of IBFL will be listed on the DMW’s List of Persons and Establishments with Derogatory Records, and legal proceedings for syndicated illegal recruitment are forthcoming.
