Repatriated OFWs would have jobs – Baldoz

A March 4, 2011 press release by the Department of Labor and Employment

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday said that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were repatriated from Libya who would decide to go abroad will be re-hired and prioritized for overseas employment, with livelihood programs and local jobs for those who opt to stay in the country.


“During a meeting with licensed recruitment agencies (LRAs) last week, agencies which hired and sent OFWs to Libya have assured us that they will give precedence to OFWs repatriated from Libya for jobs in other countries,” Baldoz said, adding that the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NCRO) will also provide necessary assistance to affected OFWs who may go for local jobs or venture into livelihood or business.

Realizing the exigency to search for more job opportunities both local and overseas, the labor and employment chief lauded the joint efforts of the DOLE and the Philippine Overseas Employment Association (POEA) in mounting a job fair last 25 February at POEA in Mandaluyong City, which offered some 25,000 overseas and 2,500 local jobs to jobseekers to mark the historic 25thanniversary of the People Power revolution.

“The job fair affirmed the heightened partnership among government, industry, and other sectors in generating more job opportunities to ensure workers’ employability and productivity,” Baldoz said.

“The 25th EDSA anniversary was a timely occasion to help jobseekers find career opportunities for local and overseas employment,” she added.

A roster of 28 land-based and four sea-based international manpower agencies and employers offered various overseas opportunities, most of which require professional, technical, skilled, and semi-skilled workers. As early as 6:00 AM, around 1,000 hopeful overseas applicants had flocked to the POEA lobby for the job fair.

Aside from overseas employment, 12 local licensed recruitment agencies/employers, through the DOLE-NCR PAMAMARISAN Field Office and the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in Mandaluyong City also offered over 2,500 local jobs.

Local agencies/employers within Mandaluyong’s locality including SM Supermarket, Watsons, Ace Hardware Phil, Inc., DDT Konstract, Inc., DM Consunji Inc., Dunknin Donuts, PP Robeean Staffing Corp., Ace Promotion and Marketing Corp., Osru Manpower Services, Home World, NCO Group, Inc., and Easy Access Inc., participated in the said jobs fair.

During the fair, the labor chief, together with POEA Administrator Carlos Cao Jr, joined President Benigno S. Aquino III who had a dialogue through conference call with OFWs Enrique Velarde from Saudi Arabia, Marites Elvina from Hongkong, and Alex Ginete from Bahrain to address their concerns.

Baldoz reiterated the POEA’s “no placement fee” policy to be strictly observed in the recruitment of household service workers, in response to one of the concerns raised by the OFWs.

“Any violation of this policy shall be a ground for revocation of the license of the recruitment agency. Extensive assessment will be conducted in all agencies to check any form of irregularity or non-compliance with the law,” Baldoz stressed.

The President asked the interviewed OFWs to report the names of alleged violating agencies to DOLE and POEA so they could be investigated and penalized.