POEA list of licensed recruitment agencies bares only 41 in city
A week after the regional office of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) warned the public against illegal recruiters, a shortlist of licensed recruitment agencies has now been made.
In Iloilo City, only 41 land-based manning agencies are POEA-registered and acknowledged while only five agencies for seabased recruitment have the go-signal to continue with its processing of work applications for foreign employment.
The POEA regional office here came up with the updated list as of February of this year in an effort to guide the jobseekers and avert future victims of illegal recruitment.
With Western Visayas topping the country's source of seafarers, seabased manning agencies Leonis Navigation Company, Dalisay Shipping Company, Island Overseas Company, Magsaysay Maritime Company and Status Maritime Company are named in the list of the five seabased legal recruiters.
POEA 6 Director Rhea Glynda Calantas in an earlier report said they have monitored that there are travel agencies, foundations and training centers in some areas of Panay Island that are engaged in illegal recruitment activities.
"These entities, like the training centers, are only limited to facilitate job trainings while travel agencies for ticketing and not to recruit job applicants who want to work abroad," said Calantas as she warned violators that the law on illegal recruitment imposes severe penalties.
Under the law, any person found guilty of illegal recruitment shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not less than 6 years and 1 day but not more than twelve years and a fine not less than two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) nor more than five hundred pesos (P500,000.00).
Calantas also cautioned applicants to be wary in accepting offers of jobs from individuals representing or working in such establishments.
This illegal activity, according to Calantas won't prosper if the public is vigilant and well informed about the modus operandi of these unscrupulous individuals./p>
This year, the POEA was tasked to spearhead the intensified effort of the government against illegal recruitment that will involve the local government units.
(With reports from PIA)