ROXAS WARNS JOBSEEKERS VS. BOGUS JOB OFFERS TO NIGERIA

Senator Mar Roxas warned jobseekers against accepting job offers to Nigeria in light of a series of abductions of foreign workers by different rebel groups in the said country.

Roxas issued the warning as he welcomed the safe return of OFW Albert Bacani Sr. who arrived in Manila today after being released by his Nigerian abductors.

Bacani and his Colombian co-worker were recovered by Nigerian authorities on a bridge in Port Harcourt around 5 a.m. Manila time (10 p.m., 9 October in Nigeria ). The two were abducted on 27 September from their workplace at SAIPEM's petrochemical complex in Port Harcourt , River State , Nigeria .

Roxas said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has suspended the processing of job contracts for Nigeria until the peace and order situation in the said African country improves.

The senator also underscored the need for workers' vigilance against bogus online recruitment scams that continue to proliferate in the Internet.

He noted that as far back as 2004, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has been issuing warnings about bogus job offers for Nigeria-based companies. Even the Philippine Embassy in Abuja , Nigeria had earlier warned all Filipinos due to fake job offers sent by Nigeria-based syndicates through e-mails. The online recruitment scam even used the Philippine Mission 's letterhead to dupe Filipinos into paying processing fees for non-existent jobs.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has stopped the processing of job contracts for Nigeria . Abductions of foreign workers have been a continuing concern of the Nigerian government. More than 200 foreigners were abducted by rebel groups and kidnap syndicates since 2005.

"I urge all jobseekers to always check with the POEA and even the DFA on whether conditions in a desired place of work overseas are safe and secure," Roxas added.

Meanwhile, Roxas backed the request of the DFA for additional funds to help distressed overseas Filipino workers.

"The embassy in Nigeria , for example, is seriously undermanned though it has around 4,000 Filipino workers under its jurisdiction. During the budget process, we really need to review the ratio of DFA personnel to overseas Filipinos which now stands at only 1:2,975 or 1,606 DFA personnel in 87 Foreign Service posts nationwide," Roxas said.

The senator said he will look into the allocated budget for the Assistance to Nationals Fund which the DFA uses to finance the repatriation, medical expenses, and payment of immigration and visa fees of distressed workers.

Roxas noted that based on DFA records, the ATN Fund for 2006 allotted merely P6.41 per overseas Filipino.

"Considering the sheer number of OFWs in distressful situations particularly in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and even Africa , this amount is sinfully low. Calling them 'modern-day heroes' is not enough. Government actions and budgetary support must match our rhetoric," Roxas stressed.