More than P3.6 million in placement fees were lost to illegal recruiters by 117 victims in Negros Occidental last year, figures of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Bacolod Satellite Office show.

The total amount that went to illegal recruiters in 2005 soared by 523.620 percent compared to only P585,850 in 2004 when only 19 were victims reported.

Of the 117 victims who reported their cases, 59 were male and 59 were female, and the POEA-Bacolod handled a total of 30 cases.

Carmen Nagum, unit coordinator of POEA-Bacolod, said that although cases were already filed for preliminary investigation and inquest, and referred to POEA central office, National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, not all the suspects have been arrested.

Nagum said two of the victims last year were siblings, who were former workers in Taiwan, and who paid a total of P320,000 to illegal recruiters in the hope that they can work in the United States.

She reiterated to applicants for jobs abroad that, to avoid illegal recruitment, they should verify with her office if the recruitment firm is registered to hire overseas workers.

They should come to us before giving their money to "recruiters," Nagum said, adding with that applicants should also make sure that the agencies they deal with are licensed to conduct recruitment activities.*NLG

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