Illegal recruitment agency padlocked; firm overcharging OFWs stripped of license

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration recently padlocked the offices of MYM International Manpower Agency for recruiting overseas Filipino workers without a license and canceled the license of Philquest International Management and Service Contractor for charging excessive placement fees and other recruitment violations.

Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said the license of MYM International was canceled on May 12, 2010, but was reported to have been actively recruiting Filipino workers for supposed deployment abroad.

In a surveillance operation, a POEA operative posed as an applicant and was offered a job as a family driver in Saudi Arabia with a monthly salary of P15,000. The recruitment agency, at the time of the operation, also recruited gym instructors with a salary of P30,000 per month.

Applicants are charged P15,000 for placement fee and P2,500 for medical examination.

Cacdac said MYM International, located at Vicente Madrigal Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati City, committed acts of illegal recruitment as defined by Republic Act 8042.

As a result of the closure order, the name of MYM International manpower Agency and all the responsible officers are now included in the list of persons and establishments with derogatory record, and are disqualified from participating in any overseas recruitment program of the government.

In a related development, Administrator Cacdac has ordered the cancellation of the license of Philquest International Management and Service Contractor for charging excessive placement fees, misrepresentation, and other recruitment violations. He also ordered the agency to refund the amount of US$1,600 to the complainant.

Cacdac has reminded job applicants that a recruitment agency is not allowed to engage in any recruitment activity while its license is canceled or suspended.