POEA asks fishermen for Taiwan to follow legal process

POEA administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac yesterday warned Filipino fishermen
wanting to work in Taiwanese fishing vessels against circumventing proper
documentation, certification and safety training requirements prior to deployment.

“For your own protection, please do not accept offers of fast deployment from illegal
recruiters who may take advantage of the reported 8,000 available jobs for fishermen
in Taiwan,” Cacdac said.

Cacdac said applicants should not use backdoor exits, and instead, engage the
services of licensed recruitment agencies with job orders approved by the POEA.
Cacdac said there were reports that illegal recruiters transport fishermen who
choose to avoid the legal process to remote facilities outside of Taiwan that have
been dubbed as ‘floating barracks’ and have been known to have substandard living
conditions.

“From these floating barracks, the fishermen are picked up by Taiwanese vessels
and are made to work from 16 to 20 hours each day, with no overtime pay, for 250-
300 US dollars a month. For working like slaves, the fishermen are also charged
placement fees up to 2,000 US dollars, which are deducted from their monthly
salary,” Cacdac said.

Taiwan’s Fisheries Bureau has recently requested the Philippines and other sending
countries to ensure that fishermen going to Taiwan are properly certified and have
adequate training on sea safety.

Cacdac clarified that the reported 8,000 jobs for fishermen in Taiwan are not
allocated solely for Filipinos. Taiwan fishing vessels also employ fishermen from
other countries, majority of them from mainland China and Indonesia.
From January to June 2012, the POEA approved 1560 crew requests for fishing
vessels in Taiwan covering 157 vessels and 880 principals.

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