INITAO, MISAMIS ORIENTAL — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has closed a travel agency in Initao, Misamis Oriental, for operating as an unlicensed recruitment firm, marking a significant crackdown on illegal recruitment activities in Northern Mindanao.
According to Philippines News Agency, who led the DMW team, the closure came after a surprise inspection on Tuesday, based on a detailed surveillance report from several months prior. De Guzman revealed that the agency was found to be acting as a recruitment firm without the necessary licensure, referring candidates to a licensed partner agency in Manila. "Based on our interrogation, it is clear that they are operating as a recruitment agency but without a license, and they refer these recruits to a 'partner' agency in Manila that has a license," he explained.
The agency's operations were in violation of anti-human trafficking laws, which require all recruitment agencies, especially those deploying workers overseas, to register and operate with a DMW-issued license. The Manila-based partner agency could also face charges for its involvement in the illegal activities.
Lawyer Fidel Macauyag, officer in charge of DMW 10 (Northern Mindanao), noted that the surveillance began following the agency’s advertisements on social media, which promised jobs in Europe, notably in Poland, with attractive salaries. However, the agency charged exorbitant processing fees ranging from PHP190,000 to PHP230,000. Macauyag added that other firms in the region with similar operations are currently under surveillance, indicating a broader effort to combat illegal recruitment practices.
Initao Mayor Mercy Grace extended her support to the DMW's actions, committing to revoke the business license of the implicated agency during the courtesy call by the DMW team. This closure represents the DMW’s first such enforcement action in Mindanao and the 11th case of its kind in the past six months across the region.