HK-based recruiters may lose permits

POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac photo from his official Twitter account.

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (Poea) on Friday threatened to strip Hong Kong-based recruitment agencies of their accreditation for collecting placement fees from Filipino household service workers (HSWs).

In a Facebook post, Poea chief Hans Cacdac said the agency has received information that some Philippine-accredited agencies in Hong Kong collect placement fees through an “imaginary loan” or an ATM deposit scheme.

The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong has already issued a memorandum to all accredited Hong Kong agencies with the warning that the Philippine government will not tolerate these malpractices, Cacdac said.

“Any violation committed by the Hong Kong agency will be dealt with seriously and this office (Consulate General of the Philippines) will apply the full force of Philippine laws,” said Labor Attaché Manuel Roldan of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Hong Kong. Tina G. Santos