A House deputy speaker has filed a resolution for a congressional inquiry into the proliferation of scammers offering dubious and non-existent jobs abroad victimizing young Filipinos.
In filing House Resolution 899, Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar said a “full-blown investigation” is needed to unmask those behind the illegal recruitment ring and pursue a crackdown against scammers.
“There have been countless reports of Filipinos being victimized by local placement agencies for non-existent jobs abroad and syndicates offering high-paying jobs but the jobseeker ends up in a dubious cryptocurrency group,” said Villar.
Villar also issued a warning to young Filipinos seeking jobs against trafficking syndicates that lure people through social media into illegally working for dubious companies abroad, particularly groups that place purported job postings or commenting on trending posts on social media platforms to make it appear that they would get their dream job.
The Bureau of Immigration had recently rescued six victims of a cryptocurrency ring operating abroad, with some being offered a monthly salary of P40,000 while others were offered $800 to $1,000 but they will leave the Philippines as tourists.
Information reaching Villar’s office revealed some workers who have since returned to the country were not even given the promised salaries during the duration of their stay abroad.
“Stories of Filipinos being victimized into working abroad legitimately but end up working as scammers instead underscore the need for the government to aggressively pursue policies that would better protect them from illegal recruiters and international syndicates,” she added.
The Philippine government, Villar added, must ensure the protection of Filipinos and prevent these cases from happening as illegal recruitment “puts the lives of our fellow Filipinos at great risk.”
“While it is the duty of the government to provide decent jobs for its citizens to prevent them from leaving, it is also of equal importance that the government protect its citizens seeking employment abroad from scammers and syndicates,” Villar said.
With this, Villar urged the House Committees on Labor and Employment and on Overseas Workers Affairs to look into the prevalence of bogus overseas job offerings victimizing Filipinos, with the objectives crafting new or strengthening existing policies to protect the public, intensifying information dissemination campaign against fraudulent employment schemes and job postings, and aggressively pursuing syndicates preying on hapless jobseekers.
