JAKARTA - A job offer for a nanny in the United States via Facebook led to the closure of a travel agency in the Philippines. Citing the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Friday, May 15, the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers closed State 101 Travel Visa Consultancy in Pasig City for allegedly recruiting workers illegally.
The agent offered a nanny job in the US with a salary of 1,800 US dollars per month. Applicants were also promised free accommodation and food. However, the route used was not a work visa, but a tourist visa.
Deputy Minister for Migrant Workers Bernard Olalia said the closure order was issued after surveillance found high-level recruitment and collection activities from job seekers.
According to Olalia, DMW received a number of complaints from victims. They claimed to have been asked to pay 90,000 to 150,000 Philippine pesos for the departure process.
"We are with the four victims, and one of them will speak to tell how he was cheated by the agent we closed today," Olalia said, quoted by PNA.
One of the victims, a single mother from Zamboanga del Norte, admitted that she was interested after seeing an ad on Facebook. The ad offered a nanny job in America with food, accommodation, and allowances.
In April 2025, he was invited to attend an orientation. Recruiters showed a video call that was referred to as a place of residence and working facilities in the US.
"I was told that we would receive a salary of 1,800 US dollars," the woman said.
He was then asked to pay a processing fee of 100,000 Philippine pesos. There is a 10,000 peso discount if the money is paid within two days. The victim finally borrowed money from his brother and sent the payment through Cebuana Lhuillier.
Later, he only knew that his documents were processed for a tourist visa, not a work visa. In December 2025, his visa application was rejected during an interview at the US Embassy.
Assistant Minister of DMW Jerome Pampolina said the victims paid 75,000 to 90,000 Philippine pesos. Some were even said to have been charged up to 150,000 pesos.
"They recruit without a license from the Department of Migrant Workers. That's a violation," Pampolina said, quoted by PNA.
Olalia said State 101 indeed had a business license as a travel agent. The company has BIR and DTI permits. However, the travel business license is not the same as the permit to recruit migrant workers.
"In terms of business, they are legal. However, they become illegal recruiters because they recruit, employ, and place workers without a license from the DMW," said Olalia.
DMW said the agency used Facebook ads to attract potential workers from various regions, including Zamboanga del Norte, Laguna, and Manila.
Olalia warned Filipinos not to enter the US on tourist visas to look for work because they could face serious risks and exploitation.
DMW is now preparing a large-scale illegal recruitment and estafa indictment against the company's owners and employees. Estafa is a fraud in Philippine law.
Olalia also asked prospective foreign workers to check every job offer to the DMW. He reminded residents not to just believe in ads on Facebook, TikTok, or messaging apps because illegal recruiters often use such channels.
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