Due to the success of the first online job fair last month, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is planning to hold another event in February.
“Our job fair in December was successful so we’re planning to hold another one,” POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia announced during the Laging Handa public briefing. “The purpose of the online job fair is to address online scams,” he added.
Initially, Olalia explained that POEA has coordinated with at least 10 local recruitment agencies for the planned online job fair. “We have talked with the Public Employment Service Offices - Olongapo for the second online job fair,” he added.
Due to restrictions brought about by the community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Olalia said the online job fair aims to provide opportunities for aspiring migrant workers.
“The main purpose also of holding the job fair is to defeat illegal recruitment,” Olalia said in Filipino. He also advised the public to wait for the announcement on the exact date of the event.
Olalia said that the cases of online scams involving aspiring OFWs have increased during the pandemic. “Just last week illegal recruiters were arrested,” he added.
Meanwhile, Olalia also warned Filipinos who are planning to work abroad to avoid recruiters engaged in “third country recruitment” - particularly those using fake travel documents and misdeclaration of the purpose of travel overseas.