10 Filipino teachers in US win case vs. recruitment agency

MANILA, Philippines—Ten Filipino migrant teachers in the United States of America won a case against a local-based recruitment agency in a ruling handled by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA).

POEA Administrator Carlos S. Cao, Jr. signed the decision on May 9 cancelling the license of PARS International Placement Agency and Universal Placement International (UPI) after they were found guilty of overcharging of fees.

The owners of PARS and UPI, Emilio V. Villarba and Lourdes Navarro, were put in POEA’s list of people with derogatory records.

UPI was prohibited from participating in the overseas placement programs of the government. Refunds amounting from $4,583.33 to $7,169.33 were awarded to the 10 complainants.

These agencies were also accused of over-charging of placement and other fees, and contract violations in a separate case ruled by the Louisiana Work Commission (LWC) filed by 15 teachers in 2010.

“We welcome the victory of the brave Filipino migrant teachers of Louisiana.

This comes in the wake of earlier awards by the Louisiana Work Commission (LWC) to the teachers for violation of labor laws in the US by their US-based recruiter. Hopefully illegal recruiters will learn a lesson from  the courageous fight put up by the teachers,” stated Judy Ann Miranda,  secretary-general of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

PM is assisting the Filipino migrant teachers in their organizing efforts through a US-based liaison officer, and in their legal case here in the Philippines.

Among the complainants who won an award from the POEA is Mairi Nunag-Tanedo who is executive vice president of the Filipino Educators Federation of Louisiana (FEFL), the organization formed by the US-based teachers in pursuit of their campaign for justice against their illegal recruiters.

“We encourage other teachers who have been similarly victimized by PARS and UPI, or other illegal recruiters to come out and fight for your rights. We will support you and through perseverance, you will surely win as the precedent of the Louisiana teachers have shown,” Miranda added.