THE DEPARTMENT of Migrant Workers XI reinforced monitoring of establishments posing as language centers but actually recruiting Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Catherine Marie Villaflores, DMW XI chief labor and employment officer, said operatives are currently surveilling foreign language centers in the region for potential illegal recruitment or trafficking in persons.
“That is our advocacy in DMW, to run after the language centers that were used as a platform to help people learn a language but are actually doing recruitment business,” Villaflores said.
The statement came following the operation shutting down Kanou Japanese and English Academy, Inc. (Kanou) last month.
According to Villaflores, Kanou operated as a language center teaching Japanese but recruited applicants to work overseas without a license and authority from the agency.
Through online and physical surveillance, operatives found that applicants had to fork out P24,000 each for the four-month training program. In return, they were promised job placements in Japan through a Technical Intern Training Program and a Specified Skilled Worker Program.
Villaflores said Kanou managed to deploy OFWs before it was shut down in October.
When they monitored other language centers, they found that applicants were promised assistance for a tourist, business, or student visas. However, they received work visas upon arrival to the host country.
“What happens is if they are not in the verification system of the DMW, they will be undocumented employees and will not be able to get security against employment and disasters,” she said.
In cases of emergency, the DMW will not be able to trace the condition of these undocumented OFWs.
Villaflores urged the public to reach out to the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) through (02) 8721-0619 to avoid being a victim. Kanou has already been included in the DMW List of Persons with Derogatory Record, which will permanently ban the company from further operating.
