POEA shuts down 2 recruitment firms

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency has closed down two agencies that continued to engage in recruiting Filipinos for work in Australia and the United States even after their licenses had been revoked because of illegal practices.

POEA chief Hans Cacdac said the agency closed down Northwest Placement Inc. in Manila and Reagent Manpower Services Inc. in Quezon City for various violations of recruitment rules.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, as head of the Presidential Task Force on Anti-Illegal Recruitment, joined the POEA Anti-Illegal Recruitment Team in padlocking Northwest Placement’s office.

“This enforcement effort of the POEA and the Office of the Vice President underscores the importance of punishing recruitment violators and upholding the rule of law. And we will not rest,” Cacdac said.

He said the POEA ordered Northwest’s closure after it discovered that the agency still engaged in the recruitment and placement of workers for overseas employment even after its license was cancelled.

Cacdac said the recruitment agency’s permit was cancelled last April 25  after the POEA found out that it was charging excessive placement fees.

In the course of the investigation conducted on the agency, it was also discovered that Northwest was still recruiting housekeepers to work in the US, Cacdac said.

Under POEA rules and regulations, an order of cancellation “is immediately executory,” he added.

Cacdac said the POEA Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch also closed down Reagent Manpower Services for offering non-existent work in Australia.

He said that the agency was initially put on preventive suspension last February 28 but a surveillance operation by POEA officers discovered that it continued to entertain applications for the position of fruit pickers for Australia.

“Hence, a similar closure order was issued by the POEA,” Cacdac said.