Toronto labor office warns OFWs vs FB scam

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) in Toronto City, Canada, has flagged a Facebook group offering suspicious services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). In a statement released on Dec. 1, Polo warned Filipinos both in Toronto and the Philippines about the Facebook group “Balik Manggagawa OEC,” which offers to process predeparture employment requirements such as Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs), passport appointment bookings and NBI clearances in exchange for a “processing fee.”

The statement said the Polo has received numerous complaints about the dubious workings of the group.

“The public is warned of such claims for processing of OECs, as this document is only issued by and through the Polos at post or the DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) in the Philippines,” the statement added.

The Polo used to be under the Department of Labor and Employment but is now under the control of the DMW. This is the second time this month that the DMW flagged an organization for supposed “bogus” services.

Last week, the DMW closed the IDPLuman Travel Agency Services and several of its branch offices in Luzon for bogus job offers in Poland. The DMW said the unlicensed agency was offering jobs as factory workers, welders and truck drivers with a monthly salary of P34,000 to P124,000.