50 firms face raps for failing to repatriate OFWs

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is set to file charges against 50 recruitment agencies for failing to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) they deployed abroad, an official said Wednesday.

“Enough already… These recruiters have displayed poor judgment in terms of complying with their promise to repatriate distressed OFWs,” POEA chief Hans Cacdac said.

He said the POEA has cancelled the licenses of the six agencies with the most number of repatriation cases – Asmara Interational Placement Agency, World Production International Manpower Corp., Al Masiya Overseas Placement, Realworld Corp., Dalandan International Manpower Inc. and Nawras Manpower Services Inc.

Four other agencies – Philtrade International Manpower Services, ASEAN Management and Technical Services Inc., Lamplight International Manpower Services and Aisis International Manpower Inc. – are under preventive suspension.

Cacdac said the POEA will not hesitate to impose sanctions on any agency that will fail to immediately repatriate workers they deployed, but are now staying in various government-run halfway homes.

The newly amended Migrants Workers Act mandates recruitment agencies or their principal to repatriate their deployed workers when the need arises.