DMW: 2 recruitment agencies suspended, 1 nabbed for illegal recruitment in Manila

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) suspended two recruitment agencies and arrested one person for allegedly engaging in illegal recruitment.

In a statement Tuesday, DMW said it conducted a surprise inspection of recruitment agencies at the Gedisco Center in Malate, Manila on Monday.

DMW said it found two recruitment agencies allegedly engaged in multiple violations, including the employment of unregistered personnel and the operation of an unregistered accommodation facility.

“Kaya dapat walang labis o kulang sa talaan ng DMW, dahil kung labis o kulang posibleng may illegal recruitment na nangyayari. Dapat kilala natin ang taong nagre-recruit, dapat lehitimo. Kung ang isa doon ay walang lisensya o ang may lisensya ay nagpapagamit ng kanyang lisensya ito ang kabit system,’” Cacdac said.

(Reports to the DMW should be exact, because if there is too much or a lack of information in records, illegal recruitment could be taking place. We should know the people involved in the recruitment. They should be legitimate. If a recruiter does not have a license or is allowing another person to use their license, then they are employing a “kabit” system.)

During the operation, DMW also rescued an Overseas  Filipino Worker (OFW) allegedly recruited through Facebook.

DMW said the OFW will receive aid from the agency.

Meanwhile, the DMW caught a suspect allegedly conducting recruitment activities despite being unregistered as an employee of the agency.

“May isa naman doon nag-a-apply, nirefer siya ng illegal sa labas, isang form ng ‘kabit system.’ Posibleng may opisina doon, o dili kaya nire-refer niya, kaya kasabwat ang legal ng illegal,” Cacdac said.

(A person was applying. He was referred by the illegal recruiter. This is a form of “tie up” system. Possibly, there is an office there or he was referred, so the legal and illegal recruiters are accomplices.)

Cacdac reminded that agency personnel are prohibited from recruiting outside their registered office or in areas without an official branch. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News