BY DANIE MAE FAJARDO-DELA CRUZ
MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has zero tolerance for illegal recruiters and human traffickers, declared Secretary Susan Ople.
For allegedly conducting illegal recruitment activities, an immigration consultancy firm in Makati City was padlocked by a team from DMW that no less than Ople led.
“DMW is determined to protect our kababayans from illegal recruiters,” said Ople.
She also issued an advice to the public: “We ask that people remain vigilant and always check with the DMW before engaging the services of any company or establishment that promises jobs abroad.”
The immigration consultancy firm that DMW closed was K-Monster Inc. based in Barangay San Lorenzo, Makati City.
“K-Monster is neither licensed with the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, nor does it have any approved job orders,” said Ople.
DMW will help victims prepare their individual cases against the firm for illegal recruitment.
The department’s Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch (AIRB) placed K-Monster under surveillance prior to closing it down with the help of the Makati City police and barangay officials.
According to Ople, surveillance AIRB showed that K-Monster has been offering jobs for hotel workers, room attendants, cashiers, waiters, caregivers, and factory workers in Poland, Canada, and the Netherlands.
Following its closure, K-Monster and its staff will be included in DMW’s “List of Persons and Establishments with Derogatory Record.”
Those included in said list are barred from participating in the government’s overseas recruitment program, aside from the facing illegal recruitment charges.
The firm has been allegedly collecting “advance processing” fees from P80,000 to P220,000, the DMW chief further said.
Victims were being told that the fees were for the cost of documents such as curriculum vitae, resume and passport, processing of visas and work permits, and other travel requirements, the cost of endorsing the applicants to potential foreign employers./PN
