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| DMW's advisory against fake OECs |
The Department of
Migrant Workers has warned anew against fake overseas employment certificates that
are offered for sale on social media.
The warning followed the detection recently of fake Balik Manggagawa OECs which two Filipinos bound for abroad had presented at the airport.
The first case involved a Filipina who presented a fake OEC she bought over WhatsApp and which she tried to present prior to her departure for Dubai, United Arab Emirates on May 24.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the 29-year-old woman was a former OFW who claimed she was redeployed to the UAE, but admitted buying the fake OEC for P7,200, for which she paid through GCash.
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| PINDUTIN DITO |
The other case involved another Filipina who said she bought her counterfeit OEC through a Facebook group named “ZEL OEC Appointment”, and paid P500 for it through GCash.
Last year, the same warning was issued by Immigration after three Filipinos bound for Warsaw, Poland were stopped at Ninoy Aquino International Airport were also found to be carrying fake OECs, for which each paid a total of P77,000.
The three, one female and two males in their 30s, told investigators that they were recruited online and mainly conversed with their recruiter via messenger. Each paid around P70,000 in processing fees, and were charged an additional P7,000 for the alleged fast-tracking of their OECs, which were sent to them via email.
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| TAWAG NA! |
Earlier, immigration officers at Clark International Airport also intercepted a Filipino male who presented a fake OEC as she tried to depart for Dubai aboard Emirates Airlines, saying he was returning to his job as personnel manager of a service provider.
Initially he claimed to have secured the OEC through legitimate means, but eventually admitted that he got it online, after paying P7,000.
All OFWs are advised to ensure that they are getting their OECs through legitimate channels by visiting the DMW website: https://dmw.gov.ph/onlineservices.
For Balik-Manggagawa (BM) or OFWs returning to the same employer, the following documents must be presented: (1) Valid visa or work permit, or similar document and (2) Employment contract with current employer or any other document to prove current employment such as a valid company ID or recent payslip.
All returning OFWs are advised to secure their OECs themselves before going home for a vacation as it is an easy process, and should ensure a worry-free travel back to their workplace.
The DMW likewise advised all outbound workers that transactions to secure forged OECs, especially online, is illegal, and they can be charged under the “Acts that Promote Trafficking in Persons” law, for which the maximum penalty is 20 years in jail and fine of up to P2 million.
For any queries, send a message to the Facebook pages, DMW Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Program, or Department of Migrant Workers.
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