27 job applicants from Olongapo-Zambales lose P6.5 M

By EMILY G. BUGARIN, TEMPO

Some 27 prospective overseas workers have lodged a complaint with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) against a recruitment agency which gypped them of some P6.5 million after promising to employ them as factory workers in Sweden, labor officials said yesterday.

The victims, mostly residents of Olongapo City, Zambales, told the POEA that the Cebu Manpower Corp. collected from them "placement fees" ranging from P75,000 to P393,000 but failed to deploy them.

The POEA said the agency was able to pocket P6.5 million from the 27 victims and the amount is projected to rise as a big number of victims are expected to file their complaints against the agency.

The POEA said cases of large scale/syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa have been filed before the Prosecution Office in Makati City against the officials of the Cebu Manpower Corporation located at Unit B, 2/F, 1760 Avenue Center, Dian St., Palanan, Makati City.

Administrator Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said that although the agency was licensed by the POEA to recruit workers abroad, it has no right to recruit applicants for factory workers for Sweden because there were no job orders from that country.

She said the license of an agency may be cancelled if proven that they committed recruitment violations.

The POEA chief said other victims of the recruitment agency may proceed to the POEA Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch at 4/F Blas Ople Building, Ortigas corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City for proper assistance in filing cases against the recruitment agency.

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No job vacancies for Pinoys in Sweden, Iceland: agency

* Announcement made following recruitment of several Filipino jobseekers for non-existent work in two European countries

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said Thursday that there are no jobs as factory workers available in Sweden and Iceland.

POEA administrator Rosalinda Baldoz issued the statement after 27 persons sued Cebu Manpower Corporation for alleged large-scale estafa and illegal recruitment. Named respondents in the case filed before the Makati City Prosecutor's Office were Elizabeth Papag, president of Cebu Manpower and Charo I. Santos, secretary of the agency.

Also charged were Noel Papag, Dennis Acosta, Erwin Tisoya Papag, and a certain Bobot, all employees of the Cebu Manpower.

The victims, Baldoz said, were asked P75,000 as placement fee each for non-existing jobs in Sweden while the other victims paid as much as P393,000 so that the processing of their applications and documents would be done faster.

So far, the agency collected about P6.5 million from the 27 victims, mostly residents of Olongapo City and Zambales, according to Baldoz.

She said while Cebu Manpower is a licensed agency, its license may be cancelled for allegedly recruiting workers for non-existent jobs in Sweden and Iceland.

Baldoz warned the public against transacting business with 11 unlicensed recruitment firms. She identified the companies as A-M Philippines Professional Services Corp., Big Circle International Manpower Agency, Emmeri International Inc., Jang International Promotions and Management Corp., Mecprego International Inc., Maritima de Manila MGM Systems, Inc., Princess Talent Productions Inc., Rising Sun International Human Resources Center, Starlink International Promotions Inc., Studio 85 Promotions and Vitamin and Cebu Artists International Inc. (MSN/Sunnex)