Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reminded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) of the risks of misrepresenting themselves as “balik-manggagawa” workers to be able to work in Kuwait.
POEA administrator Bernard Olalia said that many OFWs misrepresent themselves as returning workers when applying for overseas employment certificate (OEC) to be exempted from the deployment ban to the Gulf state.
Olalia also called out recruitment agencies that present falsified documents including travel documents of newly-hired workers to pretend that the OFW is a returning worker.
Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III instructed Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to strictly monitor OECs issued by POEA and Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) to balik-manggagawa OFWs.
“This is necessary to further ensure their security and welfare before going back to Kuwait,” Bello said.
People involved in misrepresentation may be charged with criminal offence under Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 as amended by RA 10022.
Balik manggagawa are not part of the total deployment ban to Kuwait. They may still return to the Gulf state if there’s a pending work contract waiting for them.
