POEA: More Filipinos seeking to work abroad

By Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy 24/01/2014

The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency announced yesterday 23 January 2014 that more Filipinos are seeking jobs abroad this year.

Based on information from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the most in-demand jobs abroad are still domestic helpers, production workers, nurses, waiters and bartenders, cleaners, laborers, service workers, wiremen, plumbers and pipe fitters, welders and flame cutters.

Liberty Casco, POEA deputy administrator, said "There are now more skilled categories for OFWs... Ngayong mas highly skilled na yung mga OFWs, yung ibang nationalities sila na yung gumagawa ng mga mas low skilled na trabaho,".

The demand is so big that even some recruitment agencies have a hard time complying with job orders because of the shortage of applicants.

The Middle East and the rest of Asia are still the biggest markets for OFWs, with Saudi Arabia still the top destination.

According to POEA, aside from Saudi Arabia, Filipino workers are also in demand in the following countries:

·    United Arab Emirates

·    Singapore

·    Hong Kong

·    Qatar

·    Kuwait

·    Taiwan

·    Malaysia

·    Bahrain

·    Italy

Toward the end of her announcement, the POEA spokesperson added a warning: But with the big demand for Filipino workers, the POEA warned applicants to be careful in dealing with potential employers and recruitment agencies.

The POEA also advised applicants to verify whether the job order is legitimate and that recruiters are registered with government.

The POEA, it appears oblivious of the fact that this trend only proves that the Philippine government is failing to meet the worsening employment situation in the country. Filipinos are trying to scape the consequence of lack of jobs and low salaries and are being forced to migrate to remedy the pitiful conditions of the families.

And their warning to the jobseekers to check up the validity of the job offers make one’s eyebrow to rise. It may be a good but is it not the duty to control the validity of jobs offered? The placement agencies are after all passed by them. And it is the duty of the POEA to check on the authenticity of the jobs being offered thru the agents.  

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