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Dubai Filipinos headed to Dubai for work should be wary of illegal recruiters and trafficking syndicates, as some of these agencies are using Dubai as a springboard to Syria, Jordan, and other parts of the Middle East, Philippine Vice-President Jejomar Binay told the media on Monday.
The warning came after member agencies of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) on Monday foiled the plans of illegal recruiters to sneak out 22 Filipino women, including some minors, from Cebu City to countries in the Middle East where deployment bans are in place.
“Two of those whom we rescued were due to fly [today] from Manila to Cebu then onwards to Dubai where their final destination would be known. According to the caretaker of the house where the women were staying, her boss has contacts in Dubai that process women’s entry to Syria,” Binay, who is also presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and chair emeritus of IACAT, said.
Stiffer penalties
“I ask all those who are planning to work abroad to first check with the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) to make sure that the jobs being offered are legitimate,” Binay said, adding that his office is now pushing for “stiffer penalties for human trafficking violations.”
Filipino migrants group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) confirmed that it has recently received reports of illegal deployment of OFWs in conflict-stricken Syria and other Arab countries.
“Reports reaching us indicate about 15 Pinay domestic workers arrived in Dubai and about 10 in Doha, two to three weeks ago, for deployment in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon,” said John Leonard Monterona, M-ME regional coordinator.
Philippine Labour Attache Amilbahar Amilasan said his office has not received official confirmation of the report. But he urged OFWs to be prudent in matters such as this.
“I would like to appeal to our countrymen not to add to the problem anymore,” Amilasan told Gulf News. “The Philippine government has been continuously repatriating Filipinos from Syria and many are still there wanting to leave the country.”
I ask all those who are planning to work abroad to first check with the POEA to make sure that the jobs being offered are legitimate.”
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The warning came after member agencies of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) on Monday foiled the plans of illegal recruiters to sneak out 22 Filipino women, including some minors, from Cebu City to countries in the Middle East where deployment bans are in place.
“Two of those whom we rescued were due to fly [today] from Manila to Cebu then onwards to Dubai where their final destination would be known. According to the caretaker of the house where the women were staying, her boss has contacts in Dubai that process women’s entry to Syria,” Binay, who is also presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and chair emeritus of IACAT, said.
Stiffer penalties
“I ask all those who are planning to work abroad to first check with the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) to make sure that the jobs being offered are legitimate,” Binay said, adding that his office is now pushing for “stiffer penalties for human trafficking violations.”
Filipino migrants group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) confirmed that it has recently received reports of illegal deployment of OFWs in conflict-stricken Syria and other Arab countries.
“Reports reaching us indicate about 15 Pinay domestic workers arrived in Dubai and about 10 in Doha, two to three weeks ago, for deployment in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon,” said John Leonard Monterona, M-ME regional coordinator.
Philippine Labour Attache Amilbahar Amilasan said his office has not received official confirmation of the report. But he urged OFWs to be prudent in matters such as this.
“I would like to appeal to our countrymen not to add to the problem anymore,” Amilasan told Gulf News. “The Philippine government has been continuously repatriating Filipinos from Syria and many are still there wanting to leave the country.”
I ask all those who are planning to work abroad to first check with the POEA to make sure that the jobs being offered are legitimate.”
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
