Says Pasay Mayor, ‘Illegal recruiters’ infiltrating job fairs

MANILA, Philippines—Illegal recruiters have been “gate-crashing” job fairs and hiring job seekers on the spot, Pasay City Mayor Peewee Trinidad warned the public on Wednesday.

In a statement, Trinidad said applicants should always check if the recruitment agencies they were dealing with have been accredited by job fairs’ event organizers or the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO).

He said he received reports that illegal recruiters infiltrated the SSS Jobs Fair at the HK San Plaza, Financial Center Area on Roxas Boulevard last May 14, without the knowledge of the organizers, and then hired several applicants.

The applicants were asked to shell out P500 before they could begin selling company products.

He said that the Pasay City government has been investigating companies demanding fees from applicants.

“Should they be found guilty, we will immediately revoke their licenses. We are also studying other possible charges that we can file against those firms,” Trinidad said

He said the city’s PESO already coordinated with the Department of Labor and Employment, the Pasay Business Permit and Licensing Office, and the police on the matter.

The Pasay City government holds job fairs every Wednesday.

A monitoring team composed of the Mayor’s Office, PESO, Business Permit Office, and Treasurer’s Office has been formed to ensure a “scam-free job fair,” Trinidad said. –Niña Catherine Calleja, Philippine Daily Inquirer