MANILA – In a crackdown on illegal recruitment, the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has ordered the closure of two travel agencies accused of exploiting job seekers.
On Friday, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac led an entrapment operation that resulted in the closure of Thrifty International Travel and Tours, Inc. in Mandaluyong City. Two employees were arrested after allegedly receiving marked money from an undercover agent posing as a job applicant for Japan.
“It’s an entrapment and closure operation,” Cacdac said in a statement. “Two employees were caught red-handed.”
The agency allegedly charged the agent PHP120,000 (approx. $2,100 USD) for a household worker job in Japan with a promised monthly salary of PHP60,000 (approx. $1,050 USD). The agent was told to pay PHP60,000 as a downpayment.
Cacdac said Thrifty International Travel and Tours has no recruitment license from the DMW and was also offering jobs in Italy illegally.
In a separate incident on Thursday, the DMW shuttered Volant Academy for Language Excellence, Inc. in Cavite for recruiting students to Germany without the necessary government documents.
The DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau said Volant promised German jobs for nurses, mechanics, bakers, and more with a PHP60,000 monthly salary. Applicants were required to undergo training programs costing PHP515,900.
Volant admitted to deploying nearly 200 students to Germany using student visas.
The crackdown is part of the Philippine government’s efforts to protect its citizens from unscrupulous recruiters who prey on the dreams of overseas workers. Officials vow to continue investigating and closing down agencies involved in illegal recruitment activities.
