12 agencies in tight fix over case of 137 OFW drivers in Dubai

MANILA, Philippines - The 12 placement agencies that recruited 137 Filipino bus drivers for non-existent jobs in Dubai are now in danger of having their licenses cancelled. Interest sparked over the situation of the 137 Filipino bus drivers last April when the workers reported the alleged “injustice" that they suffered because of their recruiters. The drivers said that they were promised good-paying jobs at Dubai’s government transport agency – the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). They even reportedly paid as much as P150,000, only to be given non-existent jobs last January. Since then, they have been waiting to be hired by the RTA while living off donations from the Filipino community in Dubai. [See: Help urged for 137 Pinoy drivers stranded in UAE] The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) submitted for resolution the investigation held by its Adjudication Division confirming the participation of 12 agencies in the recruitment scam. POEA Deputy Administrator Hans Cacdac, who testified in a Senate hearing regarding the case, confirmed that the 12 agencies processed the travel documents of the drivers. He said the POEA charged the agencies with illegal exaction, falsification of pubic documents, contract substitution, and other violations under the illegal recruitment provision – of which the penalty is the cancellation of their licenses. The agencies involved were identified as: 1. CYM International Services and Placement Agency 2. Across Universe Manpower Agency 3. Al Anwar International ManpowerServices 4. BML Worldwide Manpower Agency 5. Hana Star Corporation 6. Jenvic International Manpower Services 7. Richfield Overseas Employment Agency 8. SGA-Shahara International Manpower Services 9. Vigor International Manpower Services 10. Dreams Manpower and Recruitment Agency 11. Experts Placement Agency 12. Bridgewood Human Resources Of the 137 drivers,76 are still stranded in Dubai, recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani told GMANews.TV on Wednesday. The workers, he said, are still unable to pay the P3 million in accumulated fines for overstaying in Dubai since January. Moreover, Geslani said the drivers cannot assume their new jobs in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar unless they each pay the immigration offices 3,300 dirhams or almost P40,000 for having expired visitor visas. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Carmelita Dimzon has said that the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai is still negotiating with Al Toomoh Technical Services, the UAE-based partner of CYM, to pay for the penalties the drivers have incurred for overstaying. - GMANews.TV