The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is now going after bad brokers—people who ask Filipino workers to pay big fees just to get jobs in South Korea.
These brokers tell Filipino workers they can help them get a job in South Korea that lasts only a few months, called a seasonal job. But here’s the problem: these brokers ask for huge amounts of money, sometimes even asking the workers to take loans with hidden extra charges just to pay them.
👉 DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said that this sneaky system has been happening for four to five years already.
Some OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) even end up working for four to five months, but their first three months of salary go straight to paying back the broker—not to their families. That’s very unfair!
“Before we stepped in, these brokers—some of them even Korean nationals—just went around doing this without any control,” said Secretary Cacdac.
He said that although DMW has already stopped most of this bad system, there are still some brokers secretly doing it today.
What did DMW do to fix the problem?
Before DMW got involved, the job system for OFWs in South Korea was handled by local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines and South Korea. But after six OFWs sadly passed away, DMW took over the program to make it safer and more fair.
DMW made new rules:
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Only DMW offices are allowed to process the applications
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They check the contracts
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They make sure the workers have medical insurance
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And that they are members of OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration)
Since DMW took over, they have already helped send about 8,000 workers to South Korea, and only one death has been recorded so far.
DMW is now working with the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government), DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), and other agencies to create a strong agreement to fully stop these bad brokers.
What else is DMW doing?
DMW is already handling 25 active cases against brokers. They are also helping the Department of Justice (DOJ) with cases in places like Davao and Bulacan.
“It’s hard because this has been going on for years,” Cacdac said. “Some brokers still think they can get away with it. But we are chasing them, we are filing cases, and we will not stop.”
