REDIRECT to Master Blog Site

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Because of the busy schedules and all the things I need to attend to, if you happen to view this web blog and is in need of more information, you can click here to redirect you to my more active blog site and you can re post your inquiries there.

http://mastercitizen.wordpress.com/


Hope to be able of help.

Sincerely,

MC

POEA: Recruiters Lament OFW Hiring Trend

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Found an article reference for OFWs. Hope you find nuggets of info in this one.


A CONSULTANT for the local recruitment industry was dismayed over the prevailing trend of growing number of rehires being deployed compared to the decreasing number of new hires over the past three years.

In a statement, recruitment veteran Emmanuel Geslani said there is a contrasting trend between new hires and rehires as shown in the records of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).


“The data significantly shows that most of the deployment of POEA depends on the large number of rehires returning to their job sites instead of an increase of new hires, meaning that fewer Filipinos are qualified to work abroad,” said Geslani.

Based on the POEA data, the new hires are 376,973 in 2008; 349,715 in 2009; and 341,966 in 2010.
On the other hand, records also reveal that rehires are 597,426 in 2008; 742,447 in 2009; 781,710 in 2010.
Geslani said the “trend” simply shows that there are less qualified Filipinos to meet the job orders being sent to the POEA.

“They remain vacant since most of the positions are difficult to fill up or, simply, the country does not have the competent and qualified manpower to replace our aging OFWs,” he said.

The industry leader called on the government to enhance more on the training efforts it has been conducting, especially those concerning highly-skilled occupations.

“The government should intensify training of manpower and apprenticeship for construction workers and other skills to replace the aging manpower for the continuation of the labor exports,” said Geslani.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/07/17/recruiters-lament-ofw-hiring-trend-167368

POEA: Saudization Will Not Be Implemented On 'Full Scale'

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

POEA news on the saudization issue:



A Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) official on Wednesday said the “Saudization" policy has no impact yet on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the oil-rich Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

At a press conference, POEA administrator Carlos Cao said “Saudization" — a nationalization-related labor policy that directs companies to prioritize Saudi nationals in employment — will not be implemented “drastically" and “on a full scale."

“If they move on a full-scale implementation, how can they send home the big number of migrant workers there?" Cao said, adding that the Saudization policy is “a complex and complicated policy," which will be implemented in a “gradual and calibrated" manner.

Saudi Arabia is currently home to more than 8 million expatriates, with Filipinos comprising of about 1.2 million expatriates.

Check status of companies

Still, Filipino Migrant Workers Group chairman Francisco Aguilar Jr. advised OFWs in Saudi Arabia to “check the status of their company" and prepare for return to the Philippines.

“We advise them to determine if their company is in the yellow and red categories. If so, they can scout for other companies, which are in the green and platinum [blue] categories," Aguilar, a former contract worker in Saudi, explained.

“It will bring no harm to them for it is clear in the Nitaqat system that those in the green and blue [categories] can get workers from the yellow and red category, even without the [no objection certificate]," he added.

Alternatives

Should OFWs from Saudi Arabia be displaced, Department of Labor and Employment communications director Nicon Fameronag said government will provide reintegration assistance to returning OFWs.

Cao, for his part, said OFWs from Saudi Arabia may go to other possible market destinations such as Guam, Australia, and Canada.

A recent report quoted Philippine Ambassador to Doha Cresente Relacion as saying that those to be affected by Saudization might go to Qatar.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/226166/pinoyabroad/poea-saudization-will-not-be-implemented-drastically 

Recruitment of Filipino workers to Saudi declined -- POEA

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

News bit from Zamboanga:


Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has revealed that the local recruitment agencies here have lied low on recruiting Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia as it is prioritizing its own people through the Saudization program.

The Saudization program, refers to the national policy of Saudi Arabia to encourage employment of Saudi nationals in the private sector and reduce unemployment.

POEA Regional Director Renegold Macarulay said that the recruitment agencies have lied low and that they are still awaiting signal from the Foreign affairs of Saudi Arabia.

At least 14 recruitment agencies are operating in Zamboanga City, it was learned from Macarulay.

Macarulay said that as of this time his office did not yet receive any advisory regarding the Saudization program.

He, however, said there are still some 5,000 to 7,000 job vacancies in the Middle East countries.

The POEA official revealed that in the region from January to June 2011 the office was able to assist 7,171 OFW's to work in other countries while last year during the same period they assisted only 5,750.

According to Macarulay, Saudi Arabia and Middle East countries are the top employer and destination of the OFW's in this Region.

Other destination includes South East Asian Countries like Hong Kong and Singapore.

Most of the workers who are working in the Middle East works as household service, nurse, and medical staff.

http://www.zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/news/13-top-stories/5294--recruitment-of-filipino-workers-to-saudi-declined-poea-.html 

POEA: Gov't Should Not Burden OFWs – VP Binay

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

VP Binay reacted to the OFW news showing the harrowing experience of getting an OEC at the POEA. Hopefully change would be on the horizon with this development. Read the news bit:

Vice-president Jejomar Binay on Thursday asked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and other government agencies to simplify the processing of documents for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
 
"Government should not be a burden to our OFWs," Binay said in a statement. "We should exert all effort to assist them and make their interaction with the government offices simple, convenient and pleasant."

Binay is reacting to a newspaper report relating the experience of an OFW who had trouble applying for an exit clearance at the POEA.

Binay said that he hopes POEA Administrator Carlos Cao would investigate and resolve the matter as soon as possible.

"I trust that Administrator Cao shares my sentiments that the government should work for the welfare of all OFWs, and this entails facilitating their papers speedily and without hassles," Binay added.

Binay is the Presidential Adviser on OFW concerns. 

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/07/07/11/govt-should-not-burden-ofws-%E2%80%93-binay

DFA Consular Affairs Office Advisory for Passport Appointment June 20, 2011

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Newsbits on passport appointments:
========================


The Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA) wishes to inform the public that all applicants scheduled for a passport appointment on June 20 (Monday) will be accommodated from June 13 to 17 (Monday to Friday).
 

This is  in compliance with Proclamation No. 154 declaring June 20 as a special non-working holiday, in view of the 150^th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

For more information, please contact (632) 556-0000, (632) 737-1000 or e-mail epassport@dfa.gov.ph or passport.oca@yahoo.com

MORE NEWS: 

DFA Passport Delays :(

 

POEA Sees Rebound In OFW Hiring

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Planning to go abroad as an OFW? Here's some good news.
=========================================



THE country would soon be able to recover from the 3.79 percent drop in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said yesterday.

POEA administrator Carlos Cao said his optimism is based on some 675,146 job orders from at least 129 countries that they are currently holding.

"Add this figure to the 380,188 that we have already deployed during the first quarter of 2011 and we could breach the one million mark," Cao said.

He said the figure does not include the projected employment opportunities to be offered in Saudi Arabia, Guam, South Korea and Australia, among others.

Earlier this month, POEA admitted the drop in the first quarter OFW deployment from 395,189 workers in 2010 to 380,188 this year.

Cao blamed the drop largely on the political crises in the Middle East and North Africa, and the selective ban on OFW deployment put in place by the Philippine government itself. - http://www.malaya.com.ph/may31/news8.html


OTHER NEWS:

DFA: Foreign Affairs Exec Apologizes For Delayed Passport Releases

POEA: 10 Pinoy Teachers Win Case Vs. Recruiters

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Justice still prevails...

==============================


THE Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) recently ruled in favor of ten Filipino teachers working in Louisiana in a case against a Manila-based recruitment agency, PARS International Placement Agency, and its partner agency, California-based Universal Placement International (UPI). POEA Administrator Carlos S. Cao Jr. canceled the licenses of these agencies after they were found guilty of overcharging of fees.


According to the allegations, PARS and UPI set up illegal contracts and charged exorbitant fees for teachers to come to the US on H-1B visas. The teachers were forced to pay $16,000 up front as placement fees and were promised $40,000 salaries. They were required to sign over 10% of their monthly salary for two years and to pay for housing provided by UPI. Teachers unable to pay the fees up front were directed to loan companies by UPI, which charged exorbitant interest rates. The migrant teachers were also threatened with deportation if they complained.

The owners of PARS and UPI, Emilio V. Villarba and Lourdes Navarro, were put in POEA’s list of people with derogatory records. UPI was prohibited from participating in the overseas placement programs of the government. Refunds amounting from $4,583.33 to $7,169.33 were awarded to the 10 complainants.

Other legal suits in America have been filed against Universal Placement International which include a case filed by the Louisiana Federation of Teachers (LFT). Allegations involve multiple violations of state and federal laws and were brought forward by LFT. In August 2010, UPI faced a class action lawsuit filed in federal court by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the labor union American Federation of Teachers for defrauding and illegally trafficking 350 teachers from the Philippines to teach in Louisiana public schools since 2007.

Attorneys for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and Louisiana Federation of Teachers (LFT) say the union is asking that the teachers’ contracts with the California-based recruiter be voided, and that the recruiter be criminally prosecuted under state law.

Lourdes “Lulu” Navarro, a Filipino and president of the recruiting company, is already a convicted felon. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Navarro was convicted of ripping off the Medi-Cal program in California to the tune of $1 million. She served a year in jail in Southern California, but turned up in New Jersey in 2003, where she pleaded guilty to money laundering.

“We welcome the victory of the brave Filipino migrant teachers of Louisiana.

This comes in the wake of earlier awards by the Louisiana Work Commission (LWC) to the teachers for violation of labor laws in the US by their US-based recruiter. Hopefully illegal recruiters will learn a lesson from the courageous fight put up by the teachers,” stated Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), which is assisting the Filipino migrant teachers.

“We encourage other teachers who have been similarly victimized by PARS and UPI, or other illegal recruiters to come out and fight for your rights. We will support you and through perseverance, you will surely win as the precedent of the Louisiana teachers have shown,” Miranda added.

(www.asianjournal.com)


OTHER NEWS:

Vacationing OFWs Must Remember To Get Overseas Employment Certificate

MMDA: Smoking Ban in Metro Manila Public Places Begins May 30, 2011

 

Passport Fixers Nabbed In DFA Sting Operation

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Just a friendly reminder: Never deal with fixers.......
It is easy to accomplish whatever you need to do if you put your mind into it and don't become dependent on the easy way in and out.

Know how to avoid Fixers

Here's some news you need to read:

Two passport fixers were arrested after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conducted a sting operation in southern Metro Manila last week.

The DFA said Tuesday its Office of Intelligence and Security Services (OISS) caught the two near the DFA Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA) along Macapagal Avenue in Parañaque.

The DFA did not name the arrested fixers but said the operation stemmed from a request for assistance by a female passport applicant in the consular office at 5:00 p.m. on May 18.

Entrapment operation

In a news release posted on its website, the DFA said the applicant told DFA security officers that she was afraid to leave the premises because the two passport fixers she dealt with before were waiting for her outside the building for an additional payment of P5,000.

An entrapment operation was immediately conducted, where the applicant met with the fixers at a nearby convenience store.

The police arrested the suspects after they received the marked money that the applicant handed over to them.

The two suspects were turned over to the Parañaque City Police Station.

Modus operandi

The investigation revealed that the passport applicant was introduced to one of the fixers on May 4.

The fixer promised to take care of her passport processing in exchange for P6,500. On the same day, the applicant gave her passport to the fixer and paid P5,000.

However, two days later, the fixer told the applicant the DFA did not approve her application.

When she demanded the return of her money, the fixer told her that her passport is still inside the DFA and it would be difficult to retrieve it immediately.

"The fixer tried to convince again the applicant to pay P15,000 for quick processing of her passport. The applicant bargained and agreed to pay P10,000 with the condition that she will only give the money right after her passport would be processed," the DFA said.

On May 18, they met again at a restaurant across the DFA-OCA building.

Through a legitimate individual appointment she made online, the applicant managed to successfully file for the renewal of her passport.

However, she was afraid to go near the DFA-OCA because the passport fixers were waiting for her, and then decided to seek the help of the DFA authorities.

Warning against fixers

"The public is strongly advised against seeking the help of fixers," the DFA said.

The DFA-OCA, the DFA-OISS, and local police authorities, are exerting efforts to apprehend fixers.

The DFA urged the public to report any activities related to passport fixing to the DFA-OCA and the DFA-OISS. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/221453/nation/two-passport-fixers-fall-in-dfa-sting-operation


 Other NEWS:

DFA Puts Up Online Passport Tracking System