7 recruitment firms ordered padlocked

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has issued 11 closure orders for recruitment agencies found involved in illegal recruitment.

POEA Administrator Reynaldo Regalado, speaking at the radio program Usapang OFW Monday, said seven of these were immediately closed, which is higher than last year’s total of five recruitment agencies closed.

Among those closed was Acer International Manpower Services located at 1538 San Gregorio and Figueroa Streets in Paco, Manila. One complainant alleged that Acer collected from him a total of 250,000 pesos in placement fees, way above the required two months salary limit set by the POEA.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, one of the program’s hosts, said Congress had provided the POEA with more teeth in its drive against erring recruitment agencies with the passage of Republic Act 4082.

Drilon recalled that when he took over as labor secretary in 1987 after the EDSA revolution, he had to cancel the licenses of close to 40 percent of the 1,000 or so recruitment agencies.

It was also revealed that the POEA will sign a memorandum of agreement with the Citizens Crime Watch for the non-government agency to assist the POEA in monitoring the illegal activities of some recruitment agencies.

The Senate president also called on the OFWs to send their remittances early especially those whose families were recently victimized by the typhoon that hit the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.

Many of the OFWs, Drilon surmised, are speculating on the peso, waiting for it to soar higher before they send in their dollar remittances.

"But that is an unhealthy practice, "Drilon continued, "as everybody including the OFWs and their families will suffer if the economy collapses and the prices of prime commodities become uncontrolled."

The Senate president admitted that the recent jueteng scandal has discouraged not only the OFWs but even a majority of government officials, but he expressed optimism that the controversy could be settled through legal and constitutional process.