News/Messages from: POLO Geneva

Messages and News from Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Geneva

Labor Attaché Cheryl L. Daytec
Office of the Labor Attaché
Philippine Mission to the United Nations
47 Avenue Blanc, 1202 Geneva
Tel: +41 22 7161930
polo_geneva@dole.gov.ph

THE PERILS OF THIRD-COUNTRY HIRING: OFWS, PLEASE LISTEN.

Ilang beses na po kami (POLO-Geneva, Philippine Consulate General-Warsaw, at Philippine Consulate-General-Prague) - kasama ang Pinoy Workers in Poland- nag-warning na huwag pumatol sa third-country recruiters (Sa third-country recruitment, ikaw ay mare-recruit sa labas ng Pilipinas, gaya ng Taiwan, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, HK, Malaysia, o Singapore.). Bakit po hindi maganda ang third-country recruitment? Ang mga papeles po ninyo ay di dadaan sa Philippine government o POEA. Walang kasiguraduhan na ang mga suweldo at mga benepisyo ninyo ay alinsunod sa mga pamantayan o standards na gustong ipatupad ng Philippine government para sa inyong kapakanan at sapat na proteksyon.

Pag kayo po ay na-recruit sa third-country, hindi kayo mabibigyan ng Overseas Employment Certificate. Philippine government lang ang magbibigay niyan. Paano pag gusto ninyong magbakasyon sa Pilipinas? Kailangan ninyo ng OEC para makabalik sa mga employer ninyo. Hihingin iyan sa inyo ng Immigration Officer sa NAIA para makalabas kayo. Makakakuha ba kayo?

Depende iyan. Mabibigyan po kayo ng OEC pag papayag ang employers ninyo na baguhin ang mga kontrata ninyo para ilagay ang mga mandatory provisions para sa kapakanan ninyo kagaya ng pagsunod sa minimum wage law ng bansang pinagtatrabahuhan ninyo, overtime pay entitlement, sick leave benefits, health insurance, vacation leaves, free food and accommodation, security of work (hindi kayo basta na lang tatanggalin sa trabaho na walang sapat na dahilan at di dapat "no work, no pay" ang mga kontrata ninyo), at repatriation clause (Pag matanggal kayo sa work o you will die, babayaran ng employers ninyo ang pagpapauwi sa inyo o labi ninyo at mga kagamitan ninyo sa Pilipinas.).

If the OFW is a highly-skilled worker or a professional with a high-paying job, POLO-Geneva will still recommend the issuance of an OEC despite the absence of certain benefits in his/her employment contract. This is the exception rather than the rule.

Siya nga pala, kami ay nabigyan ng kopya ng email ng isang employer sa Xxxx Country (not Switzerland) sa mga OFWs na na-hire niya mula Taiwan at di dumaan sa POEA. Si Employer, may mga empleyadong OFWs na na-hire through POEA din. Di pareho ang benefits. Ngayon, kailangan ng mga ilang na-hire sa Taiwan ang OEC kasi pauwi sila sa Pilipinas. Buong araw kahapon, tumutulong sina Paul Cabugao at Bing Aguilar ng POLO-Geneva na makiusap sa employer na baguhin ang mga kontrata ng mga na-hire sa Taiwan para i-pareho sa kontrata ng mga dumaan sa POEA.

I will summarize the employer's answer: "You chose to be hired from a third-country and not through POEA. Sorry na lang if you don't have the same protection."

Sa mga OFWs na umaaway sa POLO-Geneva dahil sa kawa-warning namin na huwag pumatol sa third-country hiring, pakibasa ang sagot ng employer.

Ang lupet, di ba?

Iwasan ang third-country hiring para sa kapakanan din ninyo.

- Labor Attache Cheryll Daytec-Yangot

"IS THIS AGENCY ABROAD LEGIT?"

- Nakupo! Makailang posts pa kaya tayo bago tayo maintindihan? We get messages asking us if certain recruitment agencies abroad are legitimate.

Legit po ba si ABC sa Dubai?

Legit po ba si EFG sa Taiwan?

Legit po ba si XYZ sa Qatar?

Legit po ba si OPQ sa Malaysia?

Answer: Di namin alam. We don't know.

Pasensiya po pero di po namin alam ang lahat ng bagay. Alam lang namin kung ano ang legit at hindi sa Pilipinas.

Ang pagrerecruit ng Filipino na nasa abroad o wala sa Pilipinas para magtrabaho sa iba pang bansa ay tinatawag na third-country recruitment. We discourage it because we have no way of knowing the legitimacy of actors or companies. Wala ring protection ang OFW. Ilang beses na pong naipaliwanag dito iyan.

Deal with third country recruiters at your own risk. Sa totoo lang, karamihan ng problemang inaasikaso ng POLO-Geneva at ng grupong PWP ay yung sa mga na 3rd-country hire at dumaan sa illegal recruiters. We used to do volunteer services for them hanggang kaya. Ang trabaho ng POLO ay ipatupad ang kontrata na dumaan sa POEA.

We advise the victims to approach the authorities in the country where you were victimized kasi labas iyan sa jurisdiction ng Pilipinas. File your complaint with them.

BY THE WAY, hindi din kami recruiter. Don't ask us to find jobs for you in Europe. We do not work for agencies so don't ask us kung saang agency mag-apply.

- Labor Attache Cheryll Daytec-Yangot

Lending Referred by Recruiters

Sa lahat po ng nangutang sa lending referred by recruiters, please submit your sinumpaang salaysay. Dalhin sa PE-Warsaw. Sabihin ang recruiter, lending agency, magkano inutang, ilang percent.Di ko trabaho ito but I will see what I can do. Tulad nang sinabi ko sa Radio interview ng Bahay OFW na nakapost dito, wag matakot sa mga bantang kaso ng BP 22.

- Labor Attache Cheryll Daytec-Yangot

RE:Accreditation by POLO-POEA

WARNING: Hindi porke may isang company sa Poland na A, B, or C ay puedeng mag-recruit ang sinumang recruitment agency para sa kanila. Kailangan pa rin ma-accredit ng POLO-POEA ang employer. Bago mangyari yan, kailangan mag-imbestiga muna ang Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO)-Geneva para siguraduhing meron talaga ang employer na iyan at legitimate ang business niya. Kailangan ding masiguro namin na magbabayad ng tama at magbibigay ng dapat at sapat na benefits ang employer sa empleyado.

Walang layunin ang POLO-Geneva maliban sa masiguradong protektado ang ating mga OFWs. Iyan ang bilin ni Pres. Rodrigo Duterte at ni Secretary Bebot Bello ng Department of Labor and Employment

Ito po ang sagot sa mga maraming tanong sa babà. Di ko kayo kayang sagutin ng isa-isa. Ang kanang kamay ko ay di makatrabaho dahil sa stroke.

Dagdag public service itong ginagawa namin para lang matigil ang illegal recruitment. Ganun din ang mga admin ng PWP na ito.

Kung may recruiter o recruitment agency na nagsasabing kumukuha ang isang Polish employer ng trabahor, itanong nyo sa kanila kung POEA-accredited yan. Para sigurado o kung kaduda-duda recruiter mong mataas pa ang singolo, magtanong sa POEA.

Sa ngayon po, wala pang inaksyunan ang POLO-Geneva na accreditation ng employers. Dahil sa laganap na panloloko ng mga agencies sa mga taong naghahangad makatrabaho sa Poland, masigasig po naming pinag -aaralan ang mga employers na nagpapà-accredit.

Let us help one another.

Salamat po.

- Labor Attache Cheryll Daytec-Yangot

RE:On Richland Agency and COLORIS Sp. z.o.o

BABALA: Wala sa listahan ng mga accredited employers ng POEA ang isang company na nagngangalang COLORIS Sp. z.o.o. diumano sa Poland.

Nakarating po sa tanggapan ng POLO-Geneva na ang Richland Agency ay di-umanong nagdedeploy sa Poland sa isang company na Coloris Sp. z.o.o. Wala pong POEA-accredited na ganyang employer sa Poland.

Kung totoo iyan, kawawa ang mga maniwala. Pagdating sa Poland, walang employer. Malamang sasabihing nag-back-out ang employer.

Marami na ang mga nabiktima sa mga ganyang panloloko.

Mag-ingat po sa mga manloloko. Sayang ang P300K ninyo.

If you are wondering whether your recruiter is telling the truth, please comment below with a copy of your contract that shows your prospective employer. State the agency that recruited you and the amount of placement or service fee collected or being collected from you. Give us a week to make inquiries. Without a copy of the contract, we will not be able to help. Sa dami ng trabaho namin, we cannot spend our working hours just finding out if an employer exists. You can ask POEA.

Magtulungan tayong alamin ang mga legititimate agencies and scamming agencies.

If you were recruited outside of the Philippines, we cannot help you.

Thank you.

- Labor Attache Cheryll Daytec-Yangot

POLO-GENEVA’S REPEAT REMINDER AGAINST APPLYING FOR JOBS IN POLAND WITHOUT POEA’S INTERVENTION

Yesterday, POLO-Geneva and the Office of the Consul-General in the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw were discussing how to assist a Filipino who was recruited in Taiwan to work in Poland. The OFW was terminated in November. His salary was not paid by an employer who wasn’t accredited by the POEA.

He paid PhP200K plus to his recruiter, a Filipino, in Taiwan.

There are other such recruiters in Singapore, Middle East, and Europe. And there are other people in the same situation as this OFW.

Now, he is asking the Philippine Government to shoulder his accommodation and food in Poland as well as his repatriation to the Philippines. This is what we are now looking into. Of course, the government will help him. But the assistance is limited. For one, there is no Philippine recruitment agency against whom we can enforce his claims. He did not register as an OWWA member.

There are many more like him who arrived in Poland through third-country recruitment. Naturally, they did not pass through the POEA process.

Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III has been reminding us to warn Filipinos against the activities of illegal recruiters. Thus, we have been issuing online warnings against third-country recruitment. We are glad we were able to enlighten many people. Still, some get mad because they believe we are curtailing their opportunities abroad. They say this despite various testimonials by victims of illegal third-country recruiters. I wish we could tell them not to come to us demanding accommodations and flight tickets when they find themselves virtually stranded after ignoring warnings. We could not. It is inhumane and it does not stop the cycle of Filipinos biting the bullet despite uncertainties abroad.

Maybe, no Filipino will want to leave the country when local employment opportunities are available and sustainable. We knock on our policy-makers’ doors to seriously consider this.

There are opportunities in Poland. But only legitimate recruiters will ensure you grab these opportunities. These recruiters will lead you to Poland with POEA’s involvement. Illegal recruiters and licensed ones who practise illegitimate hiring will not care if they are grooming you for abuse-waiting-to happen. They want only your money. That is the bottomline.

Do not fall victims to the third-country hiring by Filipinos who are no more than fraudsters and profiteers. If the recruiter charges high, chances are s/he is interested only in your money, not in your welfare. THERE IS NO PLACEMENT FEE FOR JOBS IN POLAND. You may be assessed processing fees which should not exceed the one-month salary you are supposed to earn. You do not shoulder your own visa fees.

Be warned. Forewarned is forearmed!

POLO-Geneva wishes everyone a happy Christmas. This means all illegal recruiters will disappear from the face of Earth; every Filipino will have a decent job regardless of where s/he is; and our warnings will be heard loud and clear.

BECAUSE PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

19 December 2019

We had a meeting yesterday with POEA Administrator Bernie Olalia and other officials of the agency to address current and continuing developments in Europe that may affect or have affected our OFWs in that continent. We were in agreement that ultimately, labor empowerment is the goal from recruitment to reintegration. We were thinking specifically of our OFWs in Poland who have been recruited outside of the POEA framework, paid a lot of money- with loans from loan sharks, in the case of many, and eventually found out that the promises of regular jobs in Poland were enticements tied to elaborate fraudulent schemes.

This Christmas season, may unscrupulous OFW recruiters and placement agencies and employers have a Saul-to-Paul conversion and evolve from buccaneers and profiteers into social entrepreneurs. What soul has a business that profits from fraudulent schemes and lies and exploitation targeting powerless people?

Sa madaling salita, kikita pa rin ang recruiters na di nila kailangang manlinlang. Kikita pa rin ang employers na di kailangang mang-abuso.

No to greedy recruiters!

No to unlicensed recruiters!

No to licensed recruiters who practice illegal recruitment.

No to third-country hiring that offers no protection to workers.

If you are being hired from Taiwan, Malaysia, Middle East, Hong-Kong, or Singapore, or even Europe to work in Poland or any European destination, that does not pass through POEA. Mag-ingat ka kung malaki ang singil sa iyo ng recruiters mo. Pag malaki, 99% ang kasiguraduhan na manggagantso ang mga kausap mo.

TO ALL FILIPINOS GOING TO POLAND THROUGH MALAYSIA:

01 December 2019

If you have been promised a job in Poland by recruiters in the Philippines partnering with outsourcing or recruitment agencies in Poland, please be warned that there is no guarantee of a sure regular job waiting for you. The contracts you signed in the Philippines and approved by POEA in good faith are sham or made up to “legalize” your departure from the Philippines. With the contract, they will tell you to obtain a Polish visa in Malaysia since Poland has no consular office in Manila. For a hefty fee, they will tell you they can get a slot for visa appearance in Malaysia for you. They will tell you you can easily recoup your expenses with your good salary in Poland.

You will go to Poland via Malaysia.

You will only know the truth when you reach Poland. The agency based in Poland which is the partner of your recruiter in Manila will then ask you to sign a new contract which does not guarantee you a regular job and the salary you were promised to receive. You might ask why you are signing a new contract. They will tell you the POEA-approved contract was merely a template you needed to sign to be allowed to leave the Philippines.

I currently head the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Geneva. Starting in September, my office has been exercising jurisdiction over OFW matters in Poland. My staff Bing Aguilar and I were in Poland. Even at short notice, we were able to meet yesterday with OFWs, some of whom fell victim to the scheme. They paid at least P269,000 to their Philippine recruiters. Some had to borrow money from lending agencies referred by the recruiters at usurious interests.

To the lending agencies that connived with recruiters, please be informed that I advised the OFWs NOT TO PAY YOU. They owe you nothing. You owe them.

We will seek the help of the Polish authorities to run after the agencies based in Poland.

If fraudsters believe that the OFWs they previously victimized will forgive them like many OFWs did in the past, they will be disappointed this time. The ones we met now believe that there can be no forgiveness without justice. They now know and want those thinking of working in Poland to know that once a contract is signed in the Philippines, there should be no new contract to be signed by the OFW upon reaching Poland.

If you are being recruited to work in Poland, make sure your recruiter is dealing directly with an employer. Outsourcing agencies are risky. You only need €1250 to register as an outsourcing agency in Poland.

The Philippine recruiters were reported to Labor Secretary Bebot Bello. I spoke to him and he is very angry. He will not let this pass.

We appeal to everyone to spread the word. Let us work together to end the exploitation of our OFWs.

Babala: Mag-ingat sa illegal recruiters to POLAND

Paalala lang po sa ating mga OFWs sa Taiwan, sa Middle East, Asia, at sa Pilipinas: mag-ingat sa mga illegal recruiters to POLAND! 1) POEA accredited ang recruitment agency Tiyakin na yung Philippine recruitment agency na nag-aalok ng trabaho sa inyo patungong Poland ay POEA-accredited. Kapag hindi POEA-accredited, at based sa Dubai, Kuala Lumpur or kung saan-saang lugar sa abroad, at sa social media lang nakikipag-ugnay, walang opisina sa Pilipinas na accredited sa POEA -manloloko iyan - DO NOT DEAL WITH THEM! I-REPORT KAAGAD SA POEA. 2) May recibo lahat ng binabayaran Tiyakin na lahat ng fees na kinokolekta ng recruitment agency are may recibo! Pag hindi covered ng receipts, manlolokong agency iyan, DO NOT DEAL WITH THEM at I-REPORT KAAGAD SA POEA. 3) Tama lang ang deployment fee Tiyakin na ang deployment fee ay nasa humigit or kumulang isang buwang sahod lamang. Kapag 260,000 PHP minsan 350,000-450,000 PHP pa ang bayad (dahil may 2 weeks pa na hotel

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