1 month ago
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CEBU CITY — Hopes for a teaching career in Alaska, USA were stalled for hundreds of applicants from the Visayas and Mindanao after the Department of Migrant Workers in Central Visayas (DMW-7) put a stop to a recruitment activity that lacked the necessary permits.
DMW-7 officials intervened during the recruitment process at a local hotel on Feb. 6, 2025, while school principals and superintendents were conducting interviews without the presence of a licensed recruitment agency.
The facilitators also failed to present a letter of authority (LOA), a crucial document that allows foreign employers or their local representatives to recruit workers outside a licensed agency's registered business address.
Maria Eloida Cantona, officer-in-charge of DMW-7, led the intervention alongside personnel from the Migrant Workers Protection Division.
She said the facilitators of the event could not present their LOA, which prompted authorities to halt the recruitment activity.
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"Without an LOA, the recruitment was deemed unauthorized," Cantona said.
The DMW-7 did not disclose the name of the organizing group.
Cantona explained that school officials had conducted the interviews directly without the presence of a licensed recruitment agency, violating proper hiring procedures.
To address the issue, she held a meeting at the venue to guide the organizers on the required documentation and legal process for overseas employment.
DMW-7 also reminded job seekers to be cautious of recruitment activities that appear legitimate but lack proper authorization.
Cantona urged applicants to verify the legitimacy of recruitment agencies and job orders through the DMW website before engaging with any entity.
The agency also encouraged the public to report any suspicious recruitment activities in Central Visayas to their regional office for immediate action.
