By Ferdinand G. Patinio
MANILA, Sept. 27 (PNA) — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warned Filipino workers against using falsified documents to support their applications for overseas jobs, particularly in New Zealand.
Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac issued the warning after the Philippine Embassy in Wellington has reported that a substantial number of Filipino dairy farm workers have entered the said country using false employment certificates.
The report said unscrupulous individuals in the Philippines issued fake documents in exchange of NZ,000.
Cacdac added that there were reports that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has been applying more scrutiny to the applications of dairy workers from the Philippines after a number of issues in relation to the work experience of some applicants have been found.
“The alleged irregularities may have been the cause of delays in the issuance of work visas for Filipino dairy farm workers,” he said in a statement.
With this, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has instructed Cacdac to investigate the alleged use of such fraudulent documents, noting that it may affect the implementation of the just concluded labor agreement between New Zealand and the Philippines. (PNA)