OFWs in Hong Kong warned vs recruiters offering jobs in Cyprus

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong were reminded Tuesday to be wary of Hong Kong-based recruitment agencies offering jobs in third-country destinations such as Cyprus. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine consulate in Hong Kong received reports at least one agency is still recruiting Filipinos for "fictitious" jobs. "The Consulate has received reports that a certain agency continues to recruit Filipino nationals in Hong Kong and the Philippines for fictitious jobs in Cyprus and other third country destinations," the DFA said in a news release. The DFA also cited a report from Labor Attaché Romulo Salud that "no job orders for Filipino workers have been issued for Hong Kong-based employment agencies as all deployments are processed through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in Manila." It advised Filipinos who have relevant information on any recruitment agency processing workers for Cyprus to consult with the Consulate’s Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Section and Philippine Overseas Labor Office-HK for guidance. Last Dec. 6, the Philippine Consulate issued a warning to Filipinos to be careful in dealing with recruiters and employment agencies in Hong Kong and the Philippines who offer work placement or jobs in other countries. The supposed jobs were in the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, and other European countries. The Consulate in Hong Kong also advised the public to review the matrix of labor market opportunities for several destination countries in the Philippine Consulate General’s website www.philcongen-hk.com. So far, the DFA said the Philippine Consulate has assisted some of the victims based in Hong Kong. The DFA  said the Consulate is now coordinating with the Philippine Consulate General in Macau and the DFA in Manila to assist any Filipino who may have been victimized. - VVP, GMA News