Bello Warns Public of Bogus Jobs Offered Through E-mail

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III warned Monday the public about bogus job opportunities spread through email by an alleged overseas-based recruitment company.

Bello made the announcement after the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration cautioned licensed recruitment agencies, including job applicants, about offers of overseas employment through e-mail by foreign manpower agencies.

“We received information from POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac that a certain Omegal Manpower Services Limited, claiming to be based in Ireland, is offering commissions to interested manpower brokers or individuals that can supply workers for various job openings in Canada, Mexico and Europe. We caution the public to be wary of this offer,” Bello said.

According to POEA, Omegal, in its email, promises local recruiters an amount equivalent to one-month salary of every worker supplied as agency commission.

“The POEA has searched the online presence of this manpower company allegedly based in Ireland, but it all turned negative. There is no such agency named Omegal Manpower Services Limited,” Bello said.

POEA Administrator Cacdac also warned applicants against falling prey to unscrupulous individuals that post supposed job vacancies in fake websites and Facebook pages especially those that require immediate payment of fees.

Cacdac said job applicants must ignore unsolicited emails that offer jobs in hotels and hospitals but require applicants to pay fees for testing, interview and language seminar, or visa orientation.

He also advised applicants to validate the authenticity of job offers through POEA’s verification system at the website poea.gov.ph, mobile phone application, or by calling its telephone hotlines 7221144 and 7221155.

Bello also invited the public to alert the DOLE of any similar illegal recruitment activities by calling DOLE hotline 1349.

“We must help one another curtail the evils of illegal recruitment and human trafficking. Please inform us of any suspicious recruitment schemes happening in your places so that we can also enlist the support of other government agencies to save our jobseekers from being victimized by illegal recruiters,” Bello said.

The DOLE hotline service is open 24/7 to attend not only to queries about labor and employment issues but also to other critical incidents affecting local and overseas-based workers. (PNA) FPV/PR/EBP