DMW: 206 rescued from 'substandard' facilities run by recruitment agencies

A total of 206 individuals were rescued from illegal accommodations run by four recruitment agencies, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported Sunday.

The illegal accommodations were found in Imus, Cavite; Pasay; and Manila, while the individuals, mostly caregivers, are set to be deployed mostly to the Middle East.

“Yesterday, at least four private recruitment agencies na natagpuan namin nag-o-operate ng accommodation for OFW applicants na illegal. Ibig sabihin, hindi rehistrado sa DMW, and worse, substandard living conditions,” DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said in a press briefing.

(Yesterday, we found that at least four private recruitment agencies are operating accommodations for OFW applicants illegally. This means they are not registered with the DMW, and worse, the living conditions are substandard.)

According to the DMW in a separate statement, "151 were rescued in Manila from facilities operated by Job Connections, TS Pizarro, and JPM88/AAV Talent Training and Management, while 55 were rescued in Imus from accommodations operated by Samantha Manpower and Prime Goal."

In one instance, Cacdac said, some 20 people were found occupying a single small unit. The accommodation is free, but applicants must pay triple the cost if they decide to withdraw from the process.

“Ang problema walang kasiguraduhan in terms of the visa, in terms of DMW processing, and in the case of one, the license is still up for processing,” Cacdac said, adding that some individuals stayed for months.

(The problem is that there is no guarantee regarding the visa, the DMW processing, and in one case, the license is still pending approval.)

Authorities launched the operations after reports surfaced about the illegal living conditions of OFW applicants housed by licensed recruitment agencies while awaiting deployment. The agency initially rescued 15 individuals from an illegal accommodation in Pasay on Friday night.

“Violating our rules in illegal accommodation results in a recruitment violation, and therefore, we started our investigation for a recruitment violation,” Cacdac said.

The DMW secretary pointed out that accommodation facilities must be registered under the agency to ensure they abide by the guidelines for proper living conditions.

This includes proper ventilation and heating, a fire permit, an occupancy permit, and a health permit.

Meanwhile, the rescued individuals were offered upskilling and livelihood interventions. — BM, GMA News