The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has shut down a travel visa consultancy firm in Pasig City over alleged illegal recruitment activities involving caregiving jobs in the United States.
In a statement released Thursday, May 14, the DMW identified the establishment as STATE 101 Travel Visa Consultancy, which authorities said was neither licensed nor authorized to recruit and deploy overseas Filipino workers.
The closure operation was conducted by the DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau and the DMW National Capital Region Office in coordination with the Pasig City Police.
According to the DMW, the operation was carried out under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify efforts against illegal recruitment and human trafficking syndicates targeting overseas Filipino workers.
Authorities intercepted two former OFW applicants during the raid who were reportedly about to submit documents for promised caregiving jobs in the United States.
Initial investigations showed that the two applicants, along with two additional complainants, had already paid substantial placement and processing fees to the consultancy firm.
The DMW alleged that the consultancy referred applicants to US employers for caregiving positions using tourist visas while promising monthly salaries of around USD 1,800 or roughly ₱109,800.
Applicants who were supposedly set to undergo “training” before deployment were allegedly asked to pay as much as ₱150,000 for documentation and processing expenses.
The DMW emphasized that the consultancy firm had no approved job orders for deployment to the United States.
Victims and other affected applicants were encouraged to coordinate with the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau for legal assistance and possible filing of cases against those involved.
The department said the closure raised the number of establishments shut down for alleged illegal recruitment activities to 12 so far this year.
The DMW also reminded aspiring overseas workers to transact only with licensed recruitment agencies and to verify approved job orders before paying any fees.
