Labatt urges POEA to cancel Emry’s accreditation

Labor Attache Jalilo Dela Torre

Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre has asked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to cancel the accreditation of Emry’s Services Staff Employment Agency after it was accused of offering non-existent jobs in the United Kingdom.

In a three-page letter to POEA chief Hans Cacdac on July 6, dela Torre also forwarded the complaints of 67 domestic workers who executed sworn affidavits against Emry’s.

“Nagrecommend na kami ng cancellation. Hindi na kasi siya uma-attend ng calls for conciliation. Pagkatapos ng walong workers (who were refunded), wala na,” dela Torre said in an interview.

He noted that the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) on June 20 asked Esther P. Ylagan, Emry’s owner, to explain why it was recruiting workers for jobs in London when it had no job orders for this. The agency allegedly offered UK jobs to at least 200 applicants who paid $10,000 each.

“Based on the information given by the POLO-London, occupations advertised for hiring in hotels, hospitals, schools, drivers, domestic jobs, are not in the UK Shortage Occupational List,” dela Torre said.

He said the UK will only issue visas for jobs that are included in the list. The Philippines also prohibits “third-country deployment” or the hiring of Filipinos, who are already working abroad, for jobs in other countries.

“On June 28, 2016, the Assistance to Nationals Section of the Philippine Consulate General referred to the Employment Agencies Administration the sworn statements of three Filipino workers against Emry’s,” dela Torre said.

Meanwhile, dela Torre said the Emry’s remains suspended and cannot process its job orders to deploy domestic workers in Hong Kong.

“Pending resolution of this issue, all actions for verification of documents including job orders and employment contracts of Emry’s are put on hold,” he said.

Emry’s is said to be the biggest provider of Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong, submitting an average of eight contracts to the POLO every day.

POLO records showed that, since January, it had submitted 676 FDH contracts, including 614 new contracts, four renewals, and 58 transfers.

Ylagan had insisted to POLO officials that she did not intend to dupe the jobseekers and promised that she would refund the applicants.

She also complained about the POLO decision to stop the processing contracts submitted by Emry’s, saying that this was done “without due process.”

Dela Torre reminded Filipinos in Hong Kong to “stop believing ads” from Hong Kong agencies offering jobs in other countries.

“Ang importante is to stop patronizing or believing in those ads for third country deployment. Ilang beses na namin sinabi yan pero ayaw maniwala,” he said.

Dela Torre said the POLO was publishing online the names of agencies accredited with the POLO so that FDHs and employers would know who the legitimate recruiters are.

He reminded the public that “third-country recruitment” is considered illegal by the Philippine government.

“Again, third-country deployment is illegal because those agencies that are doing third-country recruitment and deployment are not licensed to do so by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA),” Dela Torre said.

“Our OFWs in Hong Kong should be wary about these agencies. Ilang beses na namin nilalabas ito. Walang mapapala pag third-country (recruitment),” he added.

One complainant against Emry’s, who went to the POLO on June 28, said she terminated her contract with her employer in the hope that she would get a job in UK. She said she paid $10,000 in March.

“Magparefund ako kasi naghanap ako ng job pero mahirap kasi nagbreak contract ako,” the worker said.

She said she exited to mainland China and came back here as a tourist so that she could pursue her claim against Emry’s.

“May malaki raw na company na hahawak sa UK (na) connected sa Canada din. Sabi niya two to three months magkaroon kami ng job order pero hindi naman dumating,” she added.