OFW’s recruiter loses license

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has canceled the license of Precise Global Manpower Services Recruitment Agency Inc., which was found violating the government’s policy on household service workers.

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has canceled the license of a recruitment agency found violating the government’s policy on household service workers (HSWs).

POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac ordered the cancellation of the license of Precise Global Manpower Services Recruitment Agency Inc. following a complaint by Michelle Magayaga, an overseas Filipino worker in Dubai, who presented evidence that the recruitment agency was liable for acts of misrepresentation relative to her recruitment and employment.

According to the complaint, Magayaga applied for and signed an employment contract with Precise Global as a waitress but was made to work as a household service worker in Dubai, Cacdac said.

Cacdac said the agency also violated the no-placement fee regulation for HSWs when it charged the complainant a P10,000 placement fee knowing that she would be deployed as a household worker.

Magayaga was paid 800 AED a month, roughly equivalent to $210, which is way below the mandated minimum monthly salary of $400 for HSWs.

Precise Global is also liable for falsifying the documents of the complainant in violation of Section 2 (o) of the POEA Rules.

“Magayaga applied as a waitress and was issued an employment visa for the position. However, Precise Global gave her another visa indicating her job as housemaid, which entails the submission of a different set of requirements,” Cacdac said.

He added the agency was also found to have signed up the complainant to an employer not accredited with the POEA.

“Recruitment agencies are directed to report to the POEA any significant incident concerning overseas Filipino workers but the agency did not inform the administration that Magayaga had run away from her employer,” he said.

According to Cacdac, the recruitment agency faces penalties for other offenses, including misrepresentation, falsification of travel documents and deployment to non-accredited principals.

Each offense has a corresponding penalty of four months suspension of license or a fine of P200,000.