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More than 1K job vacancies available for OFWs in Brunei

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Job opportunities await qualified overseas Filipino workers in Brunei, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office said yesterday.

Labor Attaché Melissa Mendizabal, in a virtual forum, said skilled and non-skilled Filipino workers are very welcome to work in the host country, as there are over 1,000 employment opportunities which include household service workers and healthcare workers, among others.

“Prior to our current situation, the first job they opened is for domestic workers. So there are many employers who can afford to hire domestic workers because it was quite costly. We processed quite a number and then on top of that, they also need nurses, we also received requests for nurses for one job order and also for the oil and gas industry. So far we’ve signed job orders from these sectors, HSWs, nurses 200 plus, doctors around 30, and at least less than 1,000 for oil and gas sector,” she added.

She, however, reported that Brunei is on a “semi-lockdown” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mendizabal said Filipino workers are the most preferred workers by many employers there.

“Our kababayans will always be the first choice among migrant workers to work here, they really prefer Filipino workers. Some employers are even proud in saying and in telling our ambassador that you know they are very proud. Because they say Filipinos are hardworking, and caring, all praises for our workers,” she added.

The POLO said there are about 20,000 OFWs in Brunei.

Aside from professionals in the medical sector, some Filipinos in the Southeast Asian nation are employed in white-collar jobs such as engineers and architects while others are car technicians and managers, among others.

RECRUITMENT SCAM

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, meanwhile, warned the public against a recruitment scam using dating apps or websites.

POEA chief Bernard Olalia issued the warning after receiving reports from individuals who have been offered overseas employment bound to the United States and Canada.

In an advisory, Olalia said the scheme is perpetrated by unscrupulous individuals via “catfishing” or the use of fictitious cyber identities.

It added that the culprits would contact potential victims in dating apps or websites who have common interests or mutual connections.

Once the scammers establish an affinity with their victims, they would send migration offers, including a promise of overseas jobs.

“The perpetrators would then send fake job contracts and company profiles and would refer the unsuspecting victims to overseas visa consultancy firms. The scammers, while maintaining their supposed romantic interest, would demand that payments be sent to the visa consultancy firms for the release of application forms and other documents, including supposed airport clearances,” the advisory read.

Olalia urged the public to ignore job offers from dating apps and websites, and to refrain from depositing or transferring any amount of money to supposed ‘online romantic partners’ or recruiters.

He did not identify the dating app or the website where the scheme is perpetrated.

The agency advised overseas job seekers to use the POEA Verification System at the POEA website at www.poea.gov.ph, or email the POEA Information Center at connect@poea.gov.ph to confirm job opportunities overseas.

It also encouraged would-be OFWs to be more cautious and to immediately report any suspicious recruitment activities to the Operations and Surveillance Division via email at osd@poea.gov.ph.

Information on avoiding recruitment scams is available on the POEA Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/airbranch.*PNA

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