By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Consistent with the government’s firm stance on protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) facilitated the closure of an illegal recruitment center in Malate, Manila on Monday.
In the operation, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac personally posted the closure notice on the door of Room 8 at the 2nd floor of the Midland Plaza Hotel, which serves as the base of operations of the Buenas Hotel Services Co.
The offending establishment was earlier discovered to be operating without the appropriate licenses from the DMW and Technical Education, Skills, and Development Authority (TESDA), following complaints raised by two individuals who fell victim to this illicit enterprise.
Secretary Cacdac said in a statement, “Ang findings ng ating surveillance operatives ay nagsasagawa ng recruitment without a license and worse ay nanloloko, nananaga ng kanilang mga aplikante.”
He expounded, “Ang modus nito is for a small fee, relatively small fee, mga PHP4,500, aakitin yung applicant for so-called training. So, iti-train yung tao. Purportedly, ipapasa sa training, pagdating ng pagkapasa sa training, katulad ng mga skills na nadyan sa likod, guest relations, front desk, etc., doon tatagain.”
Buenas was also found to be collaborating with ALJU Manpower Services, with the latter charging between P80,000 and P250,000 to prospect applicants with the guarantee of a job opportunity waiting for them in Maldives, Taiwan, Middle East, Palau, and some European countries.
The Department of Justice, meanwhile, will file charges against the owners of Buenas—Eduardo and Emma Orog—while ALJU remains under preventive suspension that took effect in November 2025.
Cacdac concluded his remarks by encouraging other victims of this shady recruitment business to come forward and present their complaints to the authorities to strengthen the cases against Buenas.
jpv
