The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warns Filipino women seeking domestic helpers job in Singapore to avoid applying with travel agencies who act as employment agents.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Singapore reported that 99% of Filipino domestic helpers who ran away from their employers were deployed by travel agents and do not have valid overseas employment documents issued by the POEA.
In a report to the POEA, Rodolfo M. Sabulao, the Philippine labor attaché to
Singapore said a syndicate composed of travel agencies in the Philippines is behind this illegal recruitment scheme in connivance with placement agencies in Singapore which were not accredited by the Philippine embassy and therefore have no counterpart recruitment agency in the Philippines.
Also according to the report, at least five Filipino domestic helpers who were able to leave the Philippines as tourists run away from their employers every day because of financial difficulties and seek refuge at the Philippine embassy. Some of them had only worked for 3 days to 5 months before leaving their employers.
The workers were asked to sign a one-page contract indicating their salaries ranging from $250.00 to $350.00 per month with no day off. The workers, however, get only $20.00 per month as subsistence allowance because the Singapore agency has to deduct from their salary the placement fee equivalent to seven months salary.
Manalili clarified that household workers receive a monthly salary of $400. She also said that she has already requested from Labatt Sabulao the names of the travel agencies involved in the illegal recruitment scheme for proper investigation.
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