New deployment scheme used by some POEA-licensed agencies exposed in Singapore

A new deployment scheme used by some POEA-licensed agencies was exposed in Singapore last week when 16 documented overseas Filipino workers were prevented from boarding their connecting flights to Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for using unconfirmed e-tickets.

Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Minda Calaguian-Cruz disclosed that 16 documented workers who arrived in Singapore in two separate flights of JetStar Airways en route to various destinations in Middle East were assisted by the Embassy’s labor attaché at the Changi Airport after they were not allowed to board their planes due to unconfirmed bookings.  The Cathay Pacific Airways and Qatar Airlines had required them to present at the check-in counter, the credit card used to purchase the tickets or its holder, which the workers failed to do.

The stranded workers were

• Angelita Miraflor
• Mercy Vailoses
• Joan Erispi
• Angelito Bueno
• Florentina Bangonon
• Tissel Joy Basco
• Lailanie Bohol
• Ledialyn Parriso
• Anelyn Chatto de los Santos
• Nor Inn Saraudin Mamarenta
• Arnisa Abara Abdul
• Nenita Padilla Resurrecion
• Imelda Bris Leopardas
• Tang Aisa Kamal
• Fatima Joy Camagay
• Abdul Kindo Sandigan.

Based on the statements of the workers, their employment papers were processed by the POEA and their agencies gave them two separate tickets for their flights to Singapore and their connecting flights to the Middle East.  They were given photocopies of a credit card to be shown at the airline check-in counter and were not aware that their onward flights were unconfirmed.

The stranded workers were sheltered at the Embassy’s Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC) for 3 days.  They departed for their respective overseas destinations after the Embassy negotiated their airline tickets with their deploying agencies.

“The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration should investigate the case and punish those responsible for allowing their deployed overseas workers to leave the country with unconfirmed bookings.  Workers should personally check with airline companies if their bookings are confirmed, otherwise, their security and safety would be compromised before they can even start to work overseas”, Ambassador Cruz stressed.

source: Philippine Embassy

Beware of Travel Agencies sending Filipino domestic helpers illegally to Singapore

This is from POEA Advisory:

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration advises Filipino women intending to work as domestic helpers in Singapore to use the legal process of overseas employment and not rely on the services of travel agency operators who are moonlighting as employment agents.

Administrator Jennifer Jardin-Manalili, citing a report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Singapore, said 99 per cent of Filipino domestic helpers who ran away from their employers were deployed by travel agents and do not have valid overseas employment documents issued by the POEA.

In a report to the POEA, Rodolfo M. Sabulao, the Philippine labor attaché to Singapore said a syndicate composed of travel agencies in the Philippines is behind this illegal recruitment scheme in connivance with placement agencies in Singapore which were not accredited by the Philippine embassy and therefore have no counterpart  recruitment agency in the Philippines.

Also according to the report, at least five Filipino domestic helpers who were able to leave the Philippines as tourists run away from their employers every day because of financial difficulties and seek refuge at the Philippine embassy. Some of them had only worked for 3 days to 5 months before leaving their employers.

The workers were asked to sign a one-page contract indicating their salaries ranging from $250.00 to $350.00 per month with no day off. The workers, however, get only $20.00 per month as subsistence allowance because the Singapore agency has to deduct from their salary the placement fee equivalent to seven months salary.

Manalili clarified that household workers receive a monthly salary of $400. She also said that she has already requested from Labatt Sabulao the names of the travel agencies involved in the illegal recruitment scheme for proper investigation.

Filipinos in distress who need urgent assistance may call the embassy duty officer at telephone no. +65-9072-2797.