Filipino workers in Sabah charged high service fees
KOTA KINABALU: The Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will be sitting down with officials of the Department of Labor and other heads of government departments and agencies soon to urgently address the reported exorbitant service fees charged to Filipino workers in Sabah.
“It is much of surprise to be informed that there are recruitment agents in Sabah who impose exorbitant service fees to their Filipino clients there, POEA administrator Atty Bernard P Olalia said.
“We (officers of relevant departments) will have to sit down soonest to talk about the issue and find appropriate solution to address the problem ... we will also submit official report to our superiors after conducting the much needed discussions,” he added.
During a dialogue with Olalia and Sabah visitors in Mandaluyong in Manila on Thursday, the administrator expressed surprise and regret that there are recruitment agents imposing exorbitant service charge fees to Filipino workers.
“This is my first time to be informed of such procedure that our unfortunate documented and undocumented Filipino workers have to go through this type of scheme in order for them to process their respective documents,” he said.
On strategies to address this particular problem, Olalia said POEA will seek the intervention of the International Labour Affairs Bureau (ILAB) as the bureau is in charge of Philippines Labour affairs in Malaysia.
“We will sit down with ILAB together and the other officials, including the Labour office in Kuala Lumpur to identify immediate and effective solution to the problem,” he stressed.
A local newspaper reported that there are recruitment agents in Sabah who charge RM3,800 (Php 43,000) for processing a POEA documentation.
The total official POEA processing fee is less than RM400 (Php 4,800).
“We have already identified the recruitment agents who impose expensive service fees...the POEA permit of one of the three agents operating is Sabah has already expired...we will investigate these three questionable agents,” Olalia stressed.
In view of the seriousness of the problem, the administrator assured that a POEA team will visit the Filipino community in Sabah very soon to look into their problems.
“We will organise a dialogue with our OFWs (overseas foreign workers) in Sabah to discuss issues pertaining to their interest and welfare while working in Sabah,” he said, adding that POEA would also be working closely with the Sabah visitors from now onwards.
“As usual, my office will have to work for the promotion and protection of the welfare of our Filipino workers regardless whether they are documented or otherwise.”
POEA will continue to work with all the stakeholders of the industry in order to properly document Filipino workers wherever they are in this part of the world.
Meanwhile, the visiting Sabah delegates comprised Sabah Foreign Workers Employment Agency Association president Anthony Leong and his secretarygeneral, Gabriel Lohuban, Thomas Tsen and Dr Paul Porodong.