POEA: 13 recruitment agencies temporary shut down

BY MERLINA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Friday confirmed that at least 13 main branches of land-based private recruitment agencies have temporarily suspended their operations as the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia, during the “Laging Handa” public briefing, said that the overseas employment industry was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Part of those severely-affected, he added, is the operations of some private recruitment agencies.

Due to the community restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Olalia said that there was a slowdown in deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). This slowdown has shrunk the operations of several private recruitment agencies – prompting them to suspend their operations temporarily. (Merlinda Hernando-Malipot)