Agency recruiting FDHs to Hong Kong padlocked

THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), with the assistance of the Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) shut down two offices allegedly used in illegal recruitment activities.

Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac ordered the closure of Groselex Manpower Services located at 2920 Taft Avenue corner EDSA, Pasay City and Rovejane Manpower Services with office address at 3rd Floor, Gisselle Park Plaza, EDSA corner Taft Avenue, Pasay City after confirmation that they have been illegally operating as recruitment agents and referring their recruits to training centers and licensed recruitment agencies.

Cacdac said Groselex was recruiting domestic workers who wanted to work in Hong Kong.

“The acts of offering a job, interview, or referral for overseas work by any person or entity without proper license from the POEA is considered illegal recruitment even if there is a licensed recruiter at the process,” he said.

Cacdac said the operatives caught the employees of Groselex in the act of illegal recruitment and locked down its office of which was hidden in a cell phone accessory shop cum variety store.

The employees admitted that they were also recruiting quality inspectors, civil inspectors, equipment inspector training officers allegedly for Kuwait, Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain; entertainers to Japan; factory workers for Taiwan and Korea; and domestic workers for Malaysia and Singapore.

Groselex charges its applicants were charged P500 as “initializing fee”, an undisclosed amount for training fee, and a month’s worth of salary.