THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) this year will focus its enforcement efforts against illegal recruitment in areas with a high incidence of such activities, a senior POEA official said Tuesday.

“This effort is on top of the usual operations against illegal recruitment that the agency undertakes, in cooperation with other law enforcement groups,” POEA deputy administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said.

The five areas—Metro Manila, Laguna,  Nueva Ecija, Negros Oriental and Zamboanga—were chosen based on the illegal recruitment complaints received by POEA’s Legal Assistance Division. A total 1,072 cases have been lodged at the agency from January to November last year.

For Metro Manila, 98 cases of illegal recruitment were filed by those living in Quezon City, 55 by those who reside in Manila and 47 complaints by those coming from Caloocan City.

“In Zamboanga’s case for example, it is considered a jump-off point to destinations like Sabah, Malaysia and other Asian countries,” Cacdac explained.

The most common destination of victims of illegal recruitment are the United Kingdom (213 of the total cases as of November last year), the United Arab Emirates (178) and Taiwan (43).

Offered jobs ranged from factory workers, caregivers and domestic helpers to seamen and hotel workers.

“The agency intends to sign MoUs [Memorandum of Understanding] with local government units for their drive against illegal recruitment… and provide them technical assistance to improve their capability to apprehend illegal recruiters,” Cacdac said.

OFW desks in the five priority areas will also be put up, to function as anti-illegal recruitment desks where queries and complaints may be filed.

MEMBERS of the so-called “Batasan 5” on Tuesday took the issue of extrajudicial killings a notch higher when they met with United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston, by assailing the government’s inability to stop political killings.

STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) said Tuesday it is set to sign amendment agreements with the World Bank signifying the creditor’s universal consent for the transfer of the debts and assets of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and National Transmission Corp. (Transco) to Psalm.

THE National Food Authority (NFA) is looking to restructure some P16.5 billion worth of zero-coupon Philippine sovereign bonds it acquired four years ago to free up some P15 billion to invest in farm infrastructure.

5 provinces ‘hot spots’ for illegal recruiters

THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) this year will focus its enforcement efforts against illegal recruitment in areas with a high incidence of such activities, a senior POEA official said Tuesday.

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