DOLE cancelled Adman Human Resources Placement and Promotions license

In Akbayan's website, DOLE cancels the license of illegal recruiter Adman Human Resources Placement and Promotions Incorporated

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Send illegal recruiters to jail – Akbayan


Akbayan Party today hailed the Department of Labor and Employment order that upheld an earlier decision against illegal recruiter Adman Human Resources Placement and Promotions Incorporated as a "victory for overseas Filipino workers."


The decision dated July 29, 2011 dismissed Adman's appeal to a March 23, 2011 decision that cancels the agency's license and made it liable for 14 counts of violations of the Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-based Overseas Workers. The overseas Filipino workers claimants may now get their refund of fees illegally collected from them, ranging from P110,000.00 to P274,000.00 and US$ 800.00 to US$ 3,400.00, separately.             
      
"The Department of Labor has proven once again that they are genuine allies of the Filipino workers," Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello said. "I had personally investigated this case, it was very unfortunate that our kababayan who wanted to make a living in the United States were tricked into working long hours for very little, and they were threatened by their employees to keep silent on the issue."


Prompted by Deputy Speaker Erin Tanada's privilege speech on the issue, the Lower House Committee on Overseas Workers conducted hearings and investigations into the matter. The Committee had pressed the Department of Labor for an immediate resolution of the Adman appeal so workers could be refunded the fees they were made to pay for. A report from the committee also indicated that trafficking syndicates have expanded their networks and may have even infiltrated the US State Department and immigrations.


"As the committee had found out, agencies in the Philippines have direct links to transnational syndicates to supply cheap labor to foreign businesses," Bello continued. "Nakakalungkot isipin na mismong Pilipino pa ang nagbebenta ng kapwa nila Pilipino sa mga dayuhan."


Bello pointed out that while the DOLE decision has cancelled the license of Adman and has ruled that Adman officers and directors are disqualified to engage in the business of recruitment of OFW, there could be more improvements in the efforts to crack down on labor trafficking, such as making involved persons subject to criminal prosecution.


"Labor trafficking robs well-meaning Filipinos with hard-earned money, the dire working conditions compromises their safety and well-being. Traffickers have an elaborate network that has planned and pre-meditated each and every step of the operation," Bello explained. "We need to follow up DOLE's decision with criminal investigations, prosecution and incarceration."


For Bello, the best way to put a stop to trafficking is to send a clear message that the government will not tolerate it.


"Ma-cancel man ang lisensya, at ma-ban man ang mga involved sa kaso sa recruitment, alam natin ang sindikato parating may lusot. Magdadalawang-isip langsila kapag may mga makukulong," Bello concluded. "This way we broaden the in-roads that we have already created to ensure that our kababayan are duly protected."

 

- Akbayan Press Release