PRESIDENT Marcos Jr has appointed Hans Leo J. Cacdac, an undersecretary of the Department of Migrant Workers, as officer-in-charge of agency, replacing Susan “Toots” Ople who passed away last month.
The appointment was announced by Malacañang late Wednesday, together with two other officials — Jennifer Pia S. Las, as chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and Jose F. Lim IV as assistant secretary of the Department of Transportation
Cacdac headed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration before he was appointed undersecretary for welfare and foreign employment of the DMW.
The DMW yesterday shut down a maritime consultancy firm in Parañaque City, for alleged illegal recruitment activities and unauthorized collection of fees.
Padlocked was the office of R. T. M. Maritime Consultancy Services Corp (RTM) in Barangay Sto. Niño, Parañaque City.
“We cannot allow these unlicensed agencies posing as ‘consultancy firms’ to continue offering supposedly lucrative job postings to our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and goading them to pay excessive amounts of money,” Cacdac said after the closure operation conducted with barangay officials and the Parañaque City police.
“Charges of illegal recruitment are being readied against the officers and personnel of RTM,” he also said.
Cacdac said the operation was prompted by complaints sent through email.
Complainant “Ernesto” said he was promised by RTM a job as chief cook onboard a container vessel in Dubai, with a monthly salary of $900 or about P51,300.
In exchange, Ernesto was asked to pay RTM P105,000 representing “consultancy” fees for finding him the overseas job.
Another complainant, identified as “Dino,” said he had applied for the position of Engine Cadet with a promised salary of $350 or about P20,000 a month. He was asked by RTM to pay P140,000 in consultation.
Cacdac said the two complainants waited for several months for their deployment before filing their complaints.
In response, Cacdac said, the DMW conducted initial surveillance operations of RTM’s activities in March, and a follow-up surveillance operation in June.
“In summary, the DMW determined that RTM does not have a valid license or accreditation from the Department. It received and processed applications, referred these to its partner manning agency, and collected ‘consultation’ fees ranging from P105,000 to as much as P140,000 from their applicants, who were promised fake jobs as seafarers in Dubai, despite a no-placement fee policy for seafarers,” Cacdac said.
He urged other victims of RTM to come forward.
“Visit the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) so they may be assisted in filing their complaints and cases against the illegal recruitment agency,” he said. — Gerard Naval
