The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has reiterated that the
use of its online services for job seekers and overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) is free of charge and should not be entrusted to a stranger.
The POEA has received reports about enterprising individuals in Facebook groups and pages who are taking advantage of some technologically challenged job applicants and OFWs by offering them assistance in the use of OFW eRegistration system, Balik-Manggagawa Processing, Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS) and issuance of OFW records for a fee.
Jobseekers and OFWs alike should consider the risk of giving out personal information to people they do not know. Details of their passport, employment record, address and telephone number could be misused by these individuals. Instead, they may seek assistance from the POEA Help Desk at https://onlineservices.poea.gov.ph/OnlineServices/Public/OFWTickets.aspx, family members or friends they can trust to help them use the online services.
An e-Registration account and a PEOS certificate are among the mandatory requirements of the POEA for OFWs to ensure proper documentation of their employment overseas.
Registration in the POEA’s manpower registry system is required before one can access other POEA online services. On the other hand, PEOS is an online seminar for overseas jobseekers that is supposed to guide them in decision making by having them know and understand the realities of working abroad. The PEOS certificate is issued free to individuals who are able to complete the learning modules.
The POEA advises all overseas job seekers and OFWs to visit the POEA website for information and assistance to guide them on the use of the POEA online services. The public is also urged to immediately report individuals engaged in thesaid activity to the Anti-Illegal Illegal Recruitment Branch’s Operations and Surveillance Division at osd@poea.gov.ph.