Baldoz Urges Public To Support Poea’s Online Anti-illegal Recruitment Campaign

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday urged the public to support the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s social media-based anti-illegal recruitment (AIR) campaign.

“Since illegal recruiters are using the internet, especially through the social media, in victimizing jobseekers, the POEA has stepped up its AIR drive by harnessing the power of information and communications technology to inform and educate the public,” Baldoz said.

Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the POEA has recently partnered with the SVEN Group, a digital agency that is committed to spearhead a vibrant and dynamic digital campaign to protect Filipino workers from illegal recruiters and scammers who also use the internet prowling for possible targets.

“Illegal recruiters are now actively using the social media to attract more victims. They are using Facebook, emails and even Twitter, to promote their illegal schemes,” Cacdac said.

Cacdac said the SVEN Group, in collaboration with the POEA, has started implementing the “ediWoW” AIR campaign on digital media. Among the projects are:

a) Joint Facebook account of MANILYN LANG and MANOLO LOKO (https//www.facebook.com/manilynandmanolo//fref=ts), the two (2) characters representing illegal recruitment.

b) Separate twitter accounts of MANILYN LANG and MANOLO LOKO (@_manilynlang and @manololoko).

c) Enhanced POEA AIR Facebook campaign page which includes the creation of caricature character named JUAN PANALO. Juan Panalo represents the ideal Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and is the figure that will be used when promoting all the legal ways of overseas employment (https://www.facebook.com/POEA-Anti-Illegal-Recruitment-206658936026081/).

“I enjoin our DOLE regional offices, the public employment service offices, and our legitimate employer partners, to help in protecting the public from these illegal recruiters. Let us pin down these illegal recruitment activities with our concerted effort,” said Baldoz. (DOLE)