POEA warns public vs spurious recruitment agencies
May 5, 2009 12:36 am
MANILA, May 4 — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warned against the operation of spurious recruitment agencies promising of jobs overseas following announcements that some 100,000 jobs await overseas Filipino workers in Guam and the Middle East.
"We urge the public to check the legitimacy of recruitment agencies (they're dealing with) to avoid being scammed by unscrupulous manpower firms who promise them overseas employment," Jennifer Manalili, POEA administrator saiid.
The government announced earlier of big demand for OFWs in construction sector in Guam, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.
Construction and engineering industry are much in demand more than any other sectors abroad. Manalili expained that many countries are building new cities and new facilities.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque earlier reported that Saudi Arabia needs 60,000 workers for huge city expansion while Qatar allocated 20,000 additional working visas for Filipino workers. Guam, on the other hand, needs 15,000 to 20,000 jobs highly skilled Filipino workers.
“Qatar initially pledged to allocate 120,000 visas, but they agreed to provide another 20,000 for us,” he has said.
US territory Guam will be requiring massive manpower, Manalili said, with the planned retirement community that will house American military officers who will be relocating in the area in 2010.
Jobs that are most in demand are welders, construction workers, engineers, pipe fitters and other highly skilled workers.
Also, Manalili said the public must verify the existence of the said jobs because 'there are instances that the firms are legitimate, while the jobs they offer are non-existent.'
Manalili cited the big volume of demand for OFWs is the result of values shown by Filipino workers which are diligence, resilience and good work ethics.
She also cited the preference for OFWs despite the global economic crisis besieging the world economy.
"This is a good development despite the crisis. It welcomes more opportunity for Filipinos," Manalili said.
"We remain to be aggressive in looking for country-destinations for our OFWs and marketing them,," Manalili said. (PNA)
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