MANILA, 2 November 2007 — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has canceled the licenses of 43 recruitment agencies and suspended 61 more for violations of rules and regulations ranging from misrepresentation to exaction of exorbitant fees.
A list Arab News obtained from the POEA showed that 11 more agencies had requested for temporary suspension of operation, while there were 18 cases of document processing suspension.
Among the common reasons cited for the suspensions were illegal collection of excessive fees, allowing foreigners or unregistered personnel to participate in the recruitment activities of the agency, and engaging in acts of misrepresentation for the purpose of renewal of license.
Preventive suspension, according to POEA, is a disciplinary measure for the protection of the OFWs. Its duration must not be longer than 30 days.
Some suspended agencies were also found out to have violated Article 29 of the Labor Code in relation to the Anti-Dummy Law.
These companies were slapped with suspension of documentary processing, revocation of appointments, and the padlocking or cancellation of rooms where foreigners were found engaged in recruitment agencies.
Other cases of violations involved non-representation of books of accounts and official receipts, non-compliance in posting of door sticker, kaukulang bayad (correct placement fee) posters, and organizational chart of the agency which are necessary requirements before they are granted permits to operate.
Last June, POEA Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz lifted the suspension of 84 recruitment agencies out of the 436 earlier suspended for non-compliance of the 1-million-peso escrow requirements.
The POEA has required the escrow deposit to ensure that the recruitment agencies can post bonds on behalf of prospective job applicants while processing their documents.
It warned job applicants anew to check on the list of suspended recruitment agencies before proceeding with their applications. To avoid illegal recruitment, applicants are advised to call the POEA hotlines 722-11-44 or 722-11-55.
Also, one can go to the POEA website (http://www.poea.gov.ph) to check the list of licensed recruitment agencies. One can go directly to http://www.poea.gov.ph/cgi-bin/agSearch.asp and type the name of the recruitment agency to check if this is legal or not.
