May 16, 2013 3:30pm
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has suspended the permits of a Kuwaiti employer and a Philippine recruitment firm after some 17 overseas Filipino workers lodged a complaint against them.
On its Facebook page Thursday, the POEA said administrator Hans Leo Cacdac initiated motu propio the filing of recruitment violation cases against Aim High International Placement and Kuwaiti employer Tanzifco Co. WLL.
"(T)he names of the respondents shall be included in the POEA list of agencies and employers temporarily disqualified to recruit and deploy overseas Filipino workers," the POEA said in a news release.
Cacdac ordered the suspension of the two companies as he cited "strong evidence" that OFWs who sought work via the two companies were being exploited.
In their affidavits, the OFWs said Aim High International hired them as housekeepers for Tanzifco, a cleaning contractor in Kuwait.
But while they said they paid placement fees ranging from P50,000 to P54,000, they did not get the salaries and benefits stated in their contracts.
They also said they were being paid only 80 dinars for an eight-hour work day instead of the 120 dinars on their contracts.
"There were no pay slips issued and there were unexplained salary deductions," the POEA added.
It also said the OFWs complained they were made to work for 12 to 16 hours a day without overtime pay, and were not allowed to go on sick leave.
"The workers said they were assigned in hospitals exposed to health hazards because they were not given the necessary vaccination or immunization," it added.
On the other hand, the OFWs said they were not given suitable sleeping quarters and kitchen facilities.
