By Arjay L. Balinbin

THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) released an advisory over the weekend “reiterating its concern over reports and complaints by foreign employers on fake or altered certificates of employment of OFWs recruited and deployed for the Middle East and other countries.”

POEA said the scheme “involves the submission of fake or altered employment certificates of job applicants, in some cases perpetrated by some licensed recruitment agencies with the consent of the worker, to reflect compliance with work experience and training requirements of employers.”

The agency warned that “the malpractice endangers the welfare of OFWs and exposes them to possible deportation, detention and blacklisting which could deny them future employment in other countries.”

All licensed recruitment agencies were also reminded “of their duly notarized undertaking executed by their officers to select and deploy only medically fit and competent workers and to adhere to ethical standards in the recruitment and deployment of workers.”

The POEA advised recruitment agencies “to exercise due diligence in verifying the authenticity of documents submitted by job applicants”, and underscored that “both workers and recruitment agencies should be aware of possible administrative and criminal liabilities arising from violation of relevant laws and rules and regulation on overseas employment.”

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