SKorea deports 57 Pinoy performers over fake AIDS tests
01/11/2010 | 06:27 PM
Fifty-seven Filipino overseas performing artists (OPAs) have been deported by the South Korean government as of December last year over fake AIDS test certificates, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
In a release posted on its web site, DOLE said investigations are now ongoing on an unidentified international recruitment agency which issued the fake certificates and should be held responsible for the deportation of the OPAs.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the most recent deportations were 18 OPAs on Dec. 4 and 11 OPAs on Dec. 7, which followed an earlier batch of 28 OPAs from July 12 to 16 last year, all from Seoul.
DOLE also said that according to one of the deported OPAs, their recruitment agency in the Philippines prepared and submitted all the documents, including their AIDS test certificates.
The unnamed OPA added that they were not made to undergo the AIDS test here in the country, because the agency and the promoter advised them that the test would be conducted in Korea.
“To protect overseas Filipino workers in both the sending and host countries, a strict AIDS test should be made a crucial part of the medical examination required by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on overseas-bound workers," Roque said.
In this light, Roque has ordered a crackdown on recruitment agencies found to be issuing fake certificates, which will be sanctioned accordingly if found violating Republic Act No. 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995.
“We strongly urge the recruiters to adhere to the stringent requirement and ensure that the credentials and required certificates of OFWs … are in accordance with the international standards," Roque stated.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Seoul is now inviting the promoter in Korea to shed light on the incident, DOLE said.
Labor Attaché to Seoul Delmer F. Cruz also recommended that necessary reintegration assistance should be extended to the deported OPAs through DOLE’s National Reintegration Center for OFWs and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. – Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV
In a release posted on its web site, DOLE said investigations are now ongoing on an unidentified international recruitment agency which issued the fake certificates and should be held responsible for the deportation of the OPAs.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the most recent deportations were 18 OPAs on Dec. 4 and 11 OPAs on Dec. 7, which followed an earlier batch of 28 OPAs from July 12 to 16 last year, all from Seoul.
DOLE also said that according to one of the deported OPAs, their recruitment agency in the Philippines prepared and submitted all the documents, including their AIDS test certificates.
The unnamed OPA added that they were not made to undergo the AIDS test here in the country, because the agency and the promoter advised them that the test would be conducted in Korea.
“To protect overseas Filipino workers in both the sending and host countries, a strict AIDS test should be made a crucial part of the medical examination required by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on overseas-bound workers," Roque said.
In this light, Roque has ordered a crackdown on recruitment agencies found to be issuing fake certificates, which will be sanctioned accordingly if found violating Republic Act No. 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995.
“We strongly urge the recruiters to adhere to the stringent requirement and ensure that the credentials and required certificates of OFWs … are in accordance with the international standards," Roque stated.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Seoul is now inviting the promoter in Korea to shed light on the incident, DOLE said.
Labor Attaché to Seoul Delmer F. Cruz also recommended that necessary reintegration assistance should be extended to the deported OPAs through DOLE’s National Reintegration Center for OFWs and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. – Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV
