What are recruitment agencies? What are they and what do they do? Well, a recruitment agency is a manpower or staffing avenue that recruits, assesses, trains, and deploys Workers. It helps its members get a job by finding employers for them.  Aside from getting you an employer, they also take charge in processing your papers which is very helpful and convenient for the job applicants. They may be either landbased or seabased. Landbased naturally means you’re working on land while the other is aboard a ship like captains, seafarers, or seamen. 

Illegal Recruiters 

Many OFWs are very thankful for these recruitment agencies. It is just logical that their services are paid for and most Pinoys sacrifice paying for their services for a promise of a better future. Now, the problem is, so many recruitment agencies can be found here in the Philippines and some of them only give you promises that will end as a promise only.

These are illegal recruiters. They get money out of ignorant or misguided Filipinos, mostly from the provinces and tell them they will find them a good job abroad. The poor fellow would need to pay certain fees. Some pay up to a hundred thousand pesos and sell their land but find out, too late, that they have been fooled.

Don’t be the next victim! Find out if you’re dealing with the right and legal agency. Do not pay anything unless you’re a hundred and one percent sure that they are legal. How? Follow the following:

Determining illegal recruiters:

1. Verify the recruitment agency's license.  Contact POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration)

  Website:  www.poea.gov.ph

  Hotlines: : 722-1144 / 722-1155

or download POEA's mobile application.

2. Ask for Job Order

Now, let’s say you discovered an illegal recruiter. What do you do? Don’t consider not doing anything an option. Why? Because these opportunists would do it again and again. The reason why illegal recruiters are still here and are growing in number is because no one reports them. Report to the authorities, at once. File your complaints at the Legal Assistance Division of POEA. You can find its office at  the 4th Floor of POEA Building or you can report them at the nearest POEA/DOLE regional office or NBI, PNP, Police Authorities in your area.