License of 3 recruitment agencies cancelled

NEWS RELEASE

20 September 2013

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration yesterday cancelled the license of Crosswind International Manpower Services, Asean Management and Technical Services Inc.and Silver Horizon International Manpower Services for reneging on their responsibility to give utmost protection to their workers before and after their deployment overseas.

Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac ordered the cancellation of Crosswind International’s license after hearing the complaints of OFW Lorena D. Saligumba and Diana Lalaine O. Castillo.

In her affidavit, Saligumba alleged that she was recruited by a certain Lucille Olaire supposedly to work as a food server in United Arab Emirates but ended up working in Jordan as a domestic helper. She left her abusive employers by jumping out of a window.

Castillo narrated that she was supposed to work as cleaner in UAE but she also end ed up as a DH in Jordan. She also complained of maltreatment and severe physical abuse from her employer.

Castillo and Lagumba admitted they left the Philippines with two plane tickets: Manila to Dubai and Dubai to Jordan.

Cacdac said Crosswind has committed acts of misrepresentation relative to the recruitment and deployment of the two workers and were found liable under the provision of Section 2 (e), Rule I, Part VI of the POEA Rules. Croswind also violated the policy on pre- departure orientation seminar (PDOS) under Section 2 (bb) of the same Rule. “PDOS is a mandatory requirement for newly -hired Filipino overseas workers.

It is the more appropriate venue to inform our OFWs about their rights as a worker and human being. Without the PDOS, the worker is deprived of the chance to be guided on how to assert their rights as overseas workers, and to know the available mechanisms to redress violation of their rights,” Cacdac said.

Cacdac cancelled the license of Asean Management and Technical Services Inc.for illegal collection of placement fee or “charging or accepting directly or indirectly any amount greater than that specified in the schedule of allowable fees prescribed by the Secretary of Labor and Employment”.The allowable placement fee at present is the amount equivalent to the worker’s salary for one month.

In his complaint against Asean Management, OFW Ricky Marcos alleged that he applied as a driver with a monthly wage of US$500 (Php22,500) and was required by the agency to pay Php7,000.00 in addition to Php18,300.00 which was deducted by his employer from his first salary. Asean Management did not issue any receipt representing the amount it received from Marcos.

Cacdac also found Asean Management liable of misrepresentation when it submitted to the POEA employment documents for ‘Painter Decorative’ and not for a driver, the position Marcos applied for.

Silver Horizon was also found liable of misrepresentation, illegal exaction of placement fee, non - issuance of receipt, and unauthorized appointment of agents and employees.

In her complaint affidavit, Marivic Salazar alleged that she applied as domestic helper with Silver Horizon and was charged Php20,000 as placement fee plus an amount equivalent to her monthly pay. Silver Horizon did not give her any receipt for her PhP20,000 payment.

She also paid Php2,500 for visa fee. Salazar presented evidence that her employment documents were processed as maintenance worker by another recruitment agency, Realworld Corporation.

She was not able to leave the country, she was held at the airport because she presented a visit visa at the immigration counter. Cacdac said Silver Horizon clearly violated the ‘no placement fee policy' for household service workers as mandated by POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 6, Series of 2006. Cacdac said these recruitment agencies have been remiss in the performance of their responsibility to protect their workers as mandated by law, hence the penalty.



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