Bongbong warns vs. illegal recruitment in Iraq, Yemen

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. urged the government on  Monday to launch a sustained crackdown against illegal recruiters and fly-by-night manning agencies after the lifting of the ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq and Yemen.

Marcos also called on the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) to disclose to the public through the traditional and social media the recruitment agencies blacklisted from signing up Filipino workers for overseas employment due to illegal recruitment activities.

“The government, particularly the POEA, should be on the lookout for illegal recruiters. With the lifting of the ban, thousands of Filipinos would surely rush to grab the opportunity to work in the Middle East and earn dollars. But illegal recruiters may exploit the situation to dupe unwary applicants,” he said in a statement.

Marcos said the POEA should come out with clear guidelines in the deployment of OFWs in the two Arab countries, as well as the list of agencies authorized to recruit workers for deployment in Iraq and Yemen.

Marcos also urged the POEA to monitor and padlock recruitment agencies found extracting exorbitant fees from applicants for overseas jobs.

Earlier, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the POEA has approved a resolution lifting the five-year ban on the deployment of OFWs to Iraq, as well as a similar ban on Yemen upon the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

However, Baldoz clarified that the processing and deployment of new hires, except household service workers, in Iraq shall only resume upon the conclusion of a bilateral agreement with the country and the identification of the restricted zones.