USEC Hans Leo Cacdac of the Department of Migrant Workers attends the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs on August 24, 2022 which convened and approved its Rules of Procedure. Press and Public Affairs Bureau handout/File.

MANILA — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is investigating 66 individuals who may be involved in the illegal recruitment of Filipinos seeking temporary employment in South Korea, the agency’s chief said on Saturday. 

There are some individuals who have been taking advantage of the seasonal workers program (SWP), where Filipinos are hired in South Korea for at least 2 months to augment the number of farm workers during the east Asian country’s peak harvest season, said Hans Cacdac, officer in charge of the DMW. 

“Nakakatanggap tayo ng balita na may P20,000, P30,000 o P40,000 na hinihingi sa worker bago siya umalis… kung hindi niya mabayaran, may pautang,” he said in a press conference.

READ: DMW shuts down QC training center over illegal recruitment

“Mayroong Korean agent na may kilala doon at dito mayroon na ring kinuhang Filipino counterpart,” he said, when asked about the scheme. 

Some Filipinos fell victim to these illegal brokers as they can earn around P80,000 a month as a temporary farmhand in South Korea, Cacdac said. 

“They will work for 2 to 5 months, and the contract is extendable by 3 months,” he said. 

“At least mga one-fourth ng kita, napupunta sa brokers,” he said. 

The Department of Justice is expected to file illegal recruitment and estafa cases against individuals who are part of the modus, the DMW chief said. 

The DMW is also looking to forge an agreement between the national government of the Philippines and South Korea to further regulate the SWP, Cacdac said, noting that under the current setup, employment deals are only signed between local governments. 

“Yan ang nasa top of our wishlist sa sitwasyon na ito kasi meron na tayong existing binding agreement with the government of South Korea doon sa employment permit system nila which is yung government to government hiring ng factory
workers since 2002,” he said. 

“‘Yan din ang gusto natin na munting kahilingan natin if I may so,” he said. 

In January 2024, the Philippines government imposed a moratorium on South Korea’s temporary hiring scheme for Filipino workers after receiving some 160 labor complaints. 

Among the issues for Filipino seasonal workers in South Korea are violations of contracts, uncomfortable and undesirasble living conditions, underpayment of wages, and withholding of passports, Cacdac said. 

“We are not here to end the program but the regulate the program,” he said. 

“Pinapatupad natin ang paglatag ng safeguards protection, standard wage or wages that comply with the Korean minimum wage, safety protections para sa aspetong pangkalusugan,” he said. 

Despite the moratorium, the DMW has allowed the deployment of 39 Filipinos from Pampanga this week. 

Cacdac said these are individuals whose visas and work permits had already been processed before the imposition of the moratorium. 

Around 70 other Filipinos are set to fly to South Korea next week as part of the seasonal hiring scheme, he said. 

“We are screening the contracts, we are making them OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) members para may karagdagang proteksyon din sila,” he said. 

“We have given the LGUs (local government units) the responsibility na bigyan sila ng orientation bago umalis. Sila din ang magmomonitor ng sitwasyon ng kanilang constitutents,” he said. 

Cacdac said there is no timetable on when the proposed agreement between the two national governments can be finalized. 

While that deal is not yet in place, the DMW has partnered with the Philippines Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchanges Commission to provide financial literacy seminars for Filipinos working abroad. 

The program aims to provide additional protection for OFWs and their hard-earned money, he said.