PESO Aklan Warns Future OFWs Against Illegal Recruiters

Avoid recruiters or agents who go house-to-house to recruit applicants for jobs abroad. Provincial Employment Service Office (PESO) warns Aklanons seeking employment abroad. The right way to apply is to go straight to the PESO or in the municipal hall of your town, or just go directly to the recruitment agency.
This advice came first in the list of warnings Vivian Ruiz-Solano, Provincial PESO Manager issued to Aklanons who are interested to work outside the country in the wake of complaints and reports that reached her office for three consecutive weeks now from Aklanon OFWs in Dubai who were victimized by illegal recruiters.
"Their reports are sad tales of their experiences in the hands of recruiters who are from Manila and other places. Some were even done by their fellow Aklanons," Solano said.
When applying for a job abroad, Solano advised, a person should ensure that the recruitment agency is licensed, with Special Recruitment Authority (SRA), accreditation and job order from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) that has not expired.
"Never pay or give money just to anybody. Payment should be transacted with a cashier of the recruitment agency; be sure you are holding a working visa and not a visit visa if you go to Dubai or to other nations where you are to work as an OFW. Never transact with an agent of a travel agency who promises to help you," Solano stressed.
Solano also told prospective OFWs from Aklan to just deal with only one recruitment agency from the start until deployment, to get files of all original employment documents like biodata or resume, birth, baptismal and marriage certificates, transcript of records and diploma, certificate of employment, passport, NBI clearance, contract, visa and others.
"Have these photocopied, leave a set for your family and keep one in your luggage. If you are already in Dubai or in other countries – never, never surrender your passport and other important papers to your employer because those papers are yours – part of your personal belongings," Solano emphasized.
Solano aired these warnings at local radio station Kalibo, Aklan. "Never be convinced to apply for a job abroad with the recruiter’s assurance that you will never spend money at all, because this is not true. When you apply for work abroad, you have to spend money," Solano said. /MP