THE Department of Migrant Workers yesterday shuttered the main office and four branches of a Japanese language learning center that allegedly offers jobs in Japan without a license to recruit workers.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac and DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia led the closure operations against the Hikari Japanese Learning Center Corporation branch in Malate, Manila.
Also padlocked simultaneously were the Hikari head office in Panabo City, Davao Del Norte, and its three other branches in Rosario, Cavite; Davao City; and General Santos City. The department’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) coordinated with local government and police officers in implementing the closure order.
“The closure of this learning center is a product of our intensified campaign to combating illegal recruitment as among the directives of the President,” Cacdac said.
“We reiterate this warning to our kababayans, especially those who aspire to work abroad— please, do not deal with recruiting entities that do not have license or authorization from the DMW to recruit and deploy workers for overseas jobs,” he added.
Based on their surveillance, DMW said Hikari has been encouraging applicants to enroll in their four-month language training for a fee of P33,710 that can be paid in installment.
Despite having no license and authority, Hikari has been offering its clients various jobs in Japan, including hotel and restaurant service, food processing, caregiving, farming, and food and beverage manufacturing, DMW added.
Hikari then refers the applicants for supposed screening to its partner agencies for deployment to Japan.
The department said the management of Hikari will face illegal recruitment charges.
Hikari officers will also be included in the “List of Persons and Establishments with Derogatory Record” of the DMW, which will permanently ban them from participating in the government’s overseas recruitment program.
Hikari personnel refused to comment.
