Pasay City, Philippines– The Immigration Bureau has issued another warning to overseas Filipino workers to avoid transacting with unauthorized personnel for their clearances and certificates.
Immigration Chief Jaime Morente gave the advice after receiving reports from Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina that another female OFW was stopped from leaving the country for presenting a tampered OEC and fake Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) clearance.
The woman was to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Damman, Saudi Arabia when airport authorities intercepted her at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.
Morente added that OFWs should not deal with any syndicates because this will only make the situation worse and could lead to potential human trafficking. The BI also appealed to OFWs, asking them to only engage with legitimate and licensed recruiters to avoid any inconvenience.
“We have a system that is directly linked to POEA. This would help us easily track down fake permits,” Morente explained.
During the recent Lenten break, BI reported that some 14 OFWs were stopped at NAIA for having fake OECs and POEA clearances.
Morente reminded OFWs that human traffickers won’t stop in victimizing Filipinos. He added that OFWs should not think about shortcuts but follow the right procedure to avoid future hassle and inconvenience.
