Recruitment agency gets 40-month suspension over fake travel papers

Philippine Overseas Labor Employment office. Photo from www.poea.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines – A recruitment agency was suspended for 40 months by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) for submitting fake certificates from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

The license of IExcel Manpower Corporation was suspended for “misrepresentation and falsification of travel documents of household service workers (HSWs),” POEA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said in a statement.

POEA received employment and travel documents, including the Tesda certifications, for nine household service workers from IExcel but were found to be fake after verification with Tesda.

“Our government recognizes that the ultimate protection to all migrant workers is the possession of skills and familiarity with the country and language of their employers and host governments,” Cacdac said in the statement.

“That is why Overseas Filipino Workers for deployment as HSWs are required to complete the competency requirements under the Philippine TVET Qualification and Certification System,” he said.

IExcel was found guilty of nine counts of misrepresentation and one count of falsifying or altering travel documents of applicants.

The penalties imposed are 36 months suspension of license or fine of P1,800,000 for the misrepresentation and four months suspension of license or fine of P200,000 for falsification.

Cacdac reminded recruitment agencies that they were expected to ensure the authenticity and validity of documents submitted for processing by the POEA and were liable for any irregularity in its issuance.

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