AMID numerous reports of overcharging overseas Filipino workers especially new hires by recruitment agencies, Filipino migrants rights group today urges the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to strictly require all recruitment agencies to issue official receipt to new hire OFWs while attending their deployment formalities and documentation.
This statement is issued by Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) in reply to the clarification made by POEA administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac on his twitter account saying, “To clarify, newly-hired OFWs through recruitment agencies pay only P2,500 to the POEA (P100), OWWA, Philhealth, and Pag-ibig (P100).’
‘Kindly investigate recruitment agencies asking double or even higher up to P7,000, and require agencies to issue official receipt,’ replied M-ME regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona, also MIGRANTE Sectoral Party of OFWs and families Vice chairperson, to POEA’s Cacdac clarification over the latter’s twit Saturday.
Monterona added that one way of putting an end on overcharging OFWs is for POEA to strictly require all recruitment agencies to issue official receipt of all the fees and charges collected from OFW-applicants and newly-hired.
“We are quite sure that this is not new to POEA as it has been receiving numerous complaints from us, OFWs and our dependents. What is surprising is that until now overcharging OFWs by some unscrupulous recruitment agencies have not been stop,” Monterona lamented.
Monterona noted that as per the amended Migrant Workers Act of 2010 or Republic Act 10022, overcharging is considered and tantamount to illegal recruitment that is punishable under the said special act.
“POEA chief Cacdac should immediately issue a memorandum circular to all recruitment agencies reminding the latter to strictly issue official receipt covering all transactions involving charging and imposition of fees to all its newly hired OFWs,” Monterona adding “otherwise, POEA through its legal division must file a corresponding case against unscrupulous recruitment agencies.”