Job agency urged to sign up as POEA partner
Published on: Thursday, March 21, 2019
By: Nikko Fabian
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Foreign Workers Employment Agency Association (Pappas) has been urged to be a registered POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Authority ) recruitment agent to help protect the interest and welfare of Filipinos wishing to work in Sabah.
Such measure is important in in view of the increasing reported cases of registered recruitment agents here charging exorbitant service fees to Filipinos and their respective employers when applying for work permit.
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Issuing the advise Tuesday, Philippine Labour Attaché ll in Kuala Lumpur Elizabeth Marie Estrada assured that her office will extend all the necessary assistance to Pappas should the suggestion receive positive response.
“This is one way of addressing the high service charges imposed by some of the registered recruitment agents operating in Sabah,” Estrada who is also the Philippine Oversea Labour Office (Polo) Chief said.
She affirmed that the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur is aware of the unhealthy practise carried out by irresponsible agents in Sabah and is taking the public complaints seriously.
“Unfortunately, we (Polo) do not have the power to control the service fees of the agents...our task is only to verify and approve the authenticity of the employment supporting documents submitted to us by applicants (employer/employees apart from ensuring that applicants comply with all the requirements and procedures imposed by the relevant Philippine government departments and agencies,” she said.
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This is the reason, Estrada said why her office is strongly suggesting and encouraging Pappas to be our partner.
“If Pappas becomes a registered POEA recruitment agent in Sabah then, we will also strongly appeal to them to impose a very minimal and reasonable service fees to their respective clients ...by doing so, aspiring Filipino workers and their respective principals (employer) will now have an alternative choice which is more cheaper,” she stressed.
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Both the concerned offices in Manila and Kuala Lumpur are aware that the some agents in Sabah are charging RM3,800 (Php 43,000) for a simple verification and approval of POEA requirements and other documentations.
Accordingly, the official POEA processing fees is less than RM500 (Php5,000).
The said amount of payment has not only caused financial burden to the applicants but also discourage local employers to legalise the workers.
“We were made to understand that the reason behind why recruitment agents pegged their fees to RM3,800 is because they include the costs of airfare (return air ticket to KL), hotel accommodation, and food amongst others per applicant,” the Labour Attaché said.
Towards this end, Estrada again issued a strong appeal the recruitment agents concerned to stop imposing exorbitant fees to their fellow countrymen who are just trying to earn a decent living in Sabah in the name of the love of their love ones who were left behind back home.
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