by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob
from POEA Press Release

Cagayan de Oro City (14 December) -- Don't apply with recruitment agencies NOT licensed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and don't transact with licensed agencies without accredited job orders.

"These are the first two of the 10 Don'ts that job seekers should remember to avoid being victimized by illegal recruiters," Maria Theresa Delos Santos of the POEA Workers' Education Division said during an Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Campaign Seminar held in the city, recently.

The rest of these don'ts are: Don't transact with any person who is not an authorized representative of a licensed agency. Don't transact business outside the registered address of the licensed agency. If the recruitment is done in the province, check if the agency has a special provincial authority (SPA) or ask the Provincial Employment Service Officer (PESO) of your province.

Don't pay more than the allowed placement fee which should be equivalent to one month salary, exclusive of documentation and processing costs and Don't pay any placement fee unless you have a valid employment contract.

Don't be enticed by advertisements or brochures requiring you to reply to a Post Office (P.O.) Box and to enclose payment for application forms and processing of papers.

Don't transact with Training Centers, Travel Agencies or Foundations who promise overseas employment. Don't accept Tourist and/or Visitors' Visa and Don't deal with fixers. "If you follow all these don'ts, you will be safe from illegal recruiters," Delos Santos said.

Meanwhile, the "List of Licensed Recruitment Agencies" published by POEA as of Sept. 30, 2007 shows there are only 31 recruitment agencies that are operating legally in Northern Mindanao

The general location and the name of these agencies are: Cagayan de Oro City -Active Works, Inc., Admiral Overseas Employment Corp., Al-Alamia International Manpower Services, AROO International Recruitment Services, Inc., AR-ZEL Management Services, Inc., Careplus International Services, Inc. and DHC International Recruitment & Consultancy, Inc.

East-West Placement Center, Inc., ED-FRO-BON Manpower Services, Greenworld Placement Services, Gulf Asia International Corp., HIBA International Inc., International Quality Manpower Services, Inc., LWV Construction Corp., Malorata International Manpower Agency and MHHR Manpower Recruitment & Placement Agency Corp.

Mirben International Manpower Services, Non-Stop Overseas Employment Corp., PERT/CPM Manpower Exponents Co., Inc., Placewell International Services Corp., Philquest International Management & Services Contractor, Pisces International Placement, Principalia Management & Personnel Consultants, Inc., Skytop Service Contractors, Inc. and Welldone-RMES International Services Co. Ltd.

The others are - AFT International Manpower Services in Malaybalay City and MMML Recruitment Services, Inc. in Valencia City.

RRJM International Manpower Services Co. Inc., StarGuide Manpower Services Inc., Juan both of Iligan. Iligan City, Mirben International Manpower Services in Tubod, Lanao del Norte and AJM Placement and Recruitment Agency, Inc. in Las Pinas City.

(PIA 10)