By Josine F. Estuye
MANILA, (PNA) -– Aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) must watch out against bogus recruiters, offering jobs in Italy that are nonexistent, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration warned Friday.
POEA issued a warning, after receiving reports that there is a modus operandi, wherein victims are enticed with job opportunities in Italy, which turns out to be nonexistent.
According to the reports, recruiters namely Andres Lorence and Armie Almaza, who claim to be employed in Baggio S.p.a. Transporti Combinati in Italy, tell applicants that their employment documents would be processed through direct hiring in Malaysia, and then charge them with P55,000 for placement and visa fee.
Another agent in the Philippines also asks them to pay P6,000, allegedly for POEA processing fee.
Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac stressed that Lorenzo and Almazon have no authority to recruit from the POEA and therefore were engaging in illegal recruitment activities.
Cacdac added that the Baggio S.p.a. Transporti Combinati is a freight forwarding company based in Venice, Italy, but is not accredited with any licensed recruitment agency in the Philippines.
He also reminded those who want to work abroad that recruitment of workers through a third country is considered illegal.
For the list POEA licensed recruitment agencies, Cacdac advised Filipino jobseekers to seek assistance from the POEA and check the website at www.poea.gov.ph.