Illegal recruiters at Luneta charged

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has filed recruitment violation cases against 19 manning agencies found conducting illegal recruitment activities at the Luneta Seafarer’s Center in Ermita, Manila.

The POEA earlier said that all recruitment activities at Luneta were illegal without a special recruitment authority  from the government agency.

POEA rules prohibit recruitment or manning agencies from recruiting seamen in places other than those specified on their licenses, unless authorized by the agency, POEA chief Hans Leo Cacdac said.

Cacdac said he ordered POEA’s Operations and Surveillance Division to assist the Anti-Transnational Crime Division of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in a special operation against illegal recruitment activities in the area.

A surveillance team composed of POEA-PNP personnel posed as applicants and inquired about available seafarer positions from representatives of several manning agencies who were at the Seafarer’s Center.

The team said the agency representatives handed them company brochures, business cards and flyers listing job openings.

The report identified the manning agencies as Korpil Ship Management and Manning Corp., Seaboard Maritime, Wallem Maritime Services Inc., Avantgarde Shipping Corp., Univan Management Services Phils Inc., Century Maritime Agencies Inc., Solpia Marine and Ship Management Inc., Great Swiss Maritime Services Inc.,  Intercrew Philippines Agency Inc., Epsilon Maritime Services Inc., C-Man Maritime Inc., Trans-Global Maritime Agency Inc., Cardiff Crewing Filipinas Inc., International Ship Crew Management Phils Inc., Michaelmar Phils Inc., Hanjin Shipping, Evic Human Resource Management Inc., Morning Mist Maritime Services and Seafarers Shipping Inc.

Upon verification with the POEA database, Seaboard Maritime, Hanjin Shipping and  Morning Mist Maritime Services were found to have no authority to recruit or deploy Filipino workers overseas.

The other agencies – although their licenses were valid – were found to be in violation of regulations on the recruitment of seafarers, Cacdac said.

He said the POEA in May 2009 stopped the issuance of special recruitment authority  to manning agencies  and ordered those occupying booths at the Luneta Seafarers’ Center to end their recruitment activities or face administrative sanctions.

Instead of going to Luneta to look for jobs, Cacdac said, seamen should file their applications directly with licensed manning agencies at their registered office address which may be found on the POEA website poea.gov.ph.