Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente on Monday warned Filipinos wanting to work abroad against unscrupulous persons using the Internet and social media to recruit overseas workers.
Morente issued the warning following reports that many human trafficking and illegal recruitment victims intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport were recruited by syndicates offering their services via Facebook and social networking sites.
“We reiterate our warning to our kababayan that they should avoid transacting with strangers online offering high paying jobs in foreign lands without the benefit of protection from government. You will only be putting yourselves in harm’s way,” the BI chief said in a statement.
Morente said overseas job seekers could always access the website of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or visit its office to look for legitimate job openings and avail themselves of the services of licensed or accredited recruitment agencies.
“Do not deal with unlicensed recruiters as they cannot guarantee your safety, good working conditions, and salaries according to industry standards. Chances are you will be intercepted at our ports if you avail the services of fraudsters and illegal recruiters,” Morente added.
Only recently, the BI intercepted eight overseas Filipino workers who were allegedly recruited to work as household service workers in Dubai and technicians in Libya who attempted to depart disguised as tourists bound for Singapore, Malaysia and UAE at the NAIA.
BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit Head Ma. Timotea Barizo said the victims were intercepted last week and admitted that they met their recruiters through Facebook and that it was the latter who processed their visas and employment papers in the United Arab Emirates.
“As in the case of many ‘tourist’ workers intercepted at our ports, these Filipino workers all had valid visas in their possession which they hid in their bags as instructed by their handlers,” Barizo said.
The four men also pretended to be tourists bound for the UAE, and planned to proceed to Amman, Jordan before proceeding to their final destination in Libya where they were hired to work as aircon technicians and pipe fitters.
“They said they were recruited to work in Libya despite the deployment ban at the initiative of their friends and relatives who are already working there,” Barizo added.