Consulate Warns Against Illegal Employment in Macau

21 September 2005

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong wishes to advise Filipinos who are being offered jobs in Macau to verify the legitimacy of such offers with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and to deal only with POEA-accredited placement agencies.

Consul General Corazon L. Belmonte-Jover said the Consulate was informed by the Philippine Labor Extension Office (PLEO) in Macau, headed by labor attaché Carlos Sta. Ana, and Filipino community leaders that a growing number of Filipinos are arriving in Macau as tourists but whose real purpose is to look for jobs which are not easy to find.

During their stay in Macau as tourists and jobseekers, they become victims of Filipinos who solicit money in exchange for recommendations for jobs that are non-existent. When these tourists run out of personal funds, they go to the extent of selling their passports and unused air tickets to overstaying Filipinos and later declare to Consulate/Macau officials that they lost their passports and air tickets. Some have committed theft or engaged in sex trade to survive.

“The Consulate wishes to advise Filipinos to exercise extreme caution on such spurious job offers in Macau,” Consul General Belmonte-Jover said. “All Filipino nationals wishing to seek employment abroad are reminded to first consult the POEA in their vicinity in order to obtain accurate information on the application process for securing overseas employment.”

Filipinos currently employed in Hong Kong and Macau are also likewise requested to advise their relatives or friends in the Philippines to first inquire from the POEA before making any decision to work in Macau.

Meanwhile, the Consulate launched a twice-a-month consular mission to the territory on 16-17 September 2005 in response to numerous requests from the Filipino community in Macau for consular and assistance to national services. The team was headed by Vice Consul Noel M. Novicio, together with five (5) PCG personnel and an OWWA representative. PLEO-Macau provided administrative support to the team.

The consular mission to Macau is an outreach program by the Consulate and attached agencies designed to provide consular assistance and services to the Filipino community. It is also intended towards providing information about the various programs and services offered by the Consulate and attached agencies.

In the course of the two-day Consular Mission, the following consular-related documents and services were issued/provided: passports (50), travel documents (3), notarial services (18), and OWWA services (9).