The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) ordered the closure of a travel agency in Cavite for allegedly engaging in illegal recruitment without a valid permit or license.
According to the DMW’s Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Program, the agency was reportedly offering jobs in South Korea, including positions as hotel cleaners and laundry shop workers, using the G1 visa—a visa category typically granted to refugees or asylum seekers. The advertised jobs promised monthly salaries ranging from ₱85,000 to ₱125,000.
Applicants were allegedly asked to pay ₱80,000 as a processing fee and an additional ₱35,000–₱40,000 as an advance payment, which did not cover airfare to South Korea. Under the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act, only licensed agencies are authorized to conduct recruitment activities.
During the closure operation, the DMW, together with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), arrested a male suspect who previously worked for South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS).
The suspect and the agency will face charges of illegal recruitment and will be listed in the DMW’s record of persons and entities with derogatory records.
The DMW reminded Filipinos aspiring to work abroad to verify job offers through legitimate and licensed recruitment agencies. It also advised against paying any fees to unregistered firms and encouraged reporting suspicious activities to the DMW.
