ILOILO City – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are urging aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to exercise caution to avoid falling victim to illegal recruitment agencies or manning companies.
DMW Region 6 officer-in-charge Glenda Aligonza emphasized that while their office has not yet received any complaints from applicants or OFWs regarding illegal recruitment agencies, the absence of complaints does not prevent them from issuing reminders. She noted that other DMW regional offices have reported numerous complaints.
Aligonza specifically advised applicants to verify the registered address and name of the agency on the DMW website or visit the DMW Region 6 office located on the third floor of Robinsons Place Iloilo City before engaging with any recruitment or manning agencies.
Transactions should only occur at the registered addresses of these agencies and not elsewhere, as this is prohibited, she added.
“Applicants should only transact at the registered addresses of recruitment agencies. If it’s outside the registered address, applicants should be suspicious,” Aligonza said.
Aligonza also discouraged transactions through online platforms, as it poses a disadvantage to applicants by not allowing them to see the person they are dealing with.
She strongly advised against making any payments online without verifying the legitimacy of the agency on the DMW website.
“Always check the legitimacy of the recruitment agencies because we do not know who we are talking to, especially online or at unfamiliar locations. So, beware of requests for payments. It’s a big no-no,” Aligonza added.
In Western Visayas, there are 196 branches and four main offices of registered recruitment agencies and manning companies.
In the one year since the establishment of DMW Region 6, no complaints from applicants and OFWs have been reported. Aligonza said they are gradually beginning to inspect and monitor the profiles of these agencies in the region.
A formal complaint must be filed at DMW Region 6 before the surveillance team can take action.
“We need to first prove the illegal recruitment activities and have a complainant before we can close the establishment. There must be proof that the agency is recruiting without a license and has victimized someone by taking money,” Aligonza explained.
Aligonza clarified that they coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and other law enforcement agencies during surveillance activities because they do not have the police power to apprehend.
OWWA Region 6 officer-in-charge Rizza Joy Moldes supported Aligonza’s advice, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the recruitment agencies applicants deal with are legitimate.
“We have to make sure that Philippine recruitment agencies are legitimate, we cannot afford to be negligent, we ourselves must strive to find out if they are legitimate, have pending cases because our safety and health are at stake,” Moldes stated.
According to OWWA-6 data, as of September 3, 2024, there are 453,188 OFWs, both land-based and sea-based, in the region, distributed across various provinces:
* Iloilo – 231,577
* Negros Occidental – 63,261
* Capiz – 53,643
* Antique – 35,402
* Aklan – 31,509
* Guimaras – 14, 715
* unstated areas – 23,531/PN
