Thursday, September 25, 2008 POEA-LGU link needed to stop illegal recruitment
THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is involving the participation of local government units (LGUs) in the elimination of illegal recruitment.
Baguio City will spearhead the campaign against illegal recruitment with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the POEA.
"There is a need for LGUs to spearhead the campaign due to the unabated problem on illegal recruitment," POEA Regional Director Delfina Camarillo said.
The MOU signing will coincide with the jobs fair at the Baguio Convention Center on September 30, as part of the City Government's 99th charter celebration.
Juvy Ballug, chief of the Public Employment Service Office (Peso)-Baguio, said various companies will participate in the jobs fair. Around 19 local companies and 16 overseas firms confirmed attendance to the fair, she said.
Illegal recruitment has been one of the problems besetting individuals seeking jobs overseas. Data from the POEA shows majority of the victims of illegal recruitment are not deployed, as promised by their recruiters.
In 2006, the POEA received 98 cases of illegal recruitment. The office received 84 in 2007, while 38 were reported for the first six months this year.
From the victims of illegal recruitment, more females fell prey to illegal recruiters than males. For the last two years and first six months of 2008, 196 females were recorded to have been victimized by illegal recruitment, 161 were men.
Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director Ana Dione said the participation of the LGUs would play a vital role in curbing illegal recruitment.
She said the LGUs would participate in trainings and seminars on how to detect illegal recruiters.
"We want the LGUs to come in so we could really nail individuals who engage in illegal recruitment," she said. (JC)
