THE DEPARTMENT of Migrant Workers (DMW) shuttered the main office and four branches of Hikari Japanese Learning Center Corp on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, due to the illegal offering of overseas employment in Japan.
Hikari Japanese Learning Center Corp, is a language and culture learning center operating with a head office in Panabo City, Davao Del Norte, and its four branches located in Manila City, Rosario, Cavite, Davao City, and General Santos City.
DMW, through its Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) conducted on Thursday the simultaneous implementation of closure orders to the offices.
Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac ordered the closure of the learning center to prevent exploiting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in exchange for employment.
“The closure of this learning center is a product of our intensified campaign to combat illegal recruitment as among the directives of the President. We reiterate this warning to our kababayans, especially those who aspire to work abroad— please, do not deal with recruiting entities that do not have license or authorization from the DMW to recruit and deploy workers for overseas jobs,” Cacdac said in a news release.
The learning center, based on a series of surveillance, operates without the necessary license and authority from the DMW.
It has been offering various jobs to Japan, including but not limited to hotel and restaurant service, food processing, caregiving, farming, and food and beverage manufacturing under the Technical Internship Training Program (TITP) and later transitioning to the Specified Skilled Worker Program (SSWP).
Hikari offers its applicants to enroll in their four-month language training in exchange for a fee amounting to P33,710, which can be paid in installments.
Applicants who pass the JFT/JLPT N4 and PROMETRIC Specified Skilled Worker Tests will be referred allegedly to undergo screening in its partner agencies, as preparation for deployment.
Hikari’s management will face illegal recruitment charges. All officers will be enlisted under DMW’s “List of Persons and Establishments with Derogatory Record.”
They are also banned from participating in any government’s overseas recruitment program.
DMW urged the victims of Hikari to contact the MWPB through their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip, email at mwpb@dmw.gov.ph or through their hotline number +63 2 8721-0619 for legal assistance.
The simultaneous closure operation of the MWPB is the first this year to crack down on illegal recruiters preying on OFWs and applicants who aspire to work overseas.
