Manila: The Department of Migrant Workers on Thursday padlocked five offices of a language and culture learning center for illegally offering overseas employment in Japan. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac led the closure of the Hikari Japanese Learning Center Corporation's (Hikari) Manila branch located in Leon Guinto St., Malate, which was shut down simultaneously with its main office in Panabo City, Davao Del Norte, and its three other branches in Rosario, Cavite, Davao City, and General Santos City.
According to Philippines News Agency, Cacdac stated in a press conference that the language center was illegally recruiting workers for various sectors in Japan, including hotel and restaurant services, food processing, caregiving, farming, and manufacturing. The center offered Japanese language courses, a requirement for workers bound to Japan under programs like the Specified Skilled Worker Program (SSW) and the Technical Internship Training Program (TITP). Cacdac clarified that under these programs, training costs should be covered by Japanese employers and not the applicants.
Cacdac highlighted that the language training is supposed to be the last phase of the recruitment process, with the employer responsible for the fees. DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia emphasized that language training centers are not permitted to hire, deploy, or enter into partnerships with licensed recruitment agencies. He explained that centers falsely claim to have ties with licensed agencies to lure students and prospective Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), asking them to pay for training with promises of job placements, which is illegal.
Olalia revealed that five students present during the raid were asked to pay PHP40,000 for Japanese language training, a practice that is prohibited. As a regulatory body, Cacdac stated that the DMW has imposed sanctions and is further investigating the case. If found liable for violating DMW regulations, the language center could face disciplinary actions, potentially leading to the cancellation of its license.
Cacdac also mentioned that offering jobs without proper authorization constitutes illegal recruitment, a criminal offense. The DMW will collect testimonies from affected workers, assist them for free, and support them in filing legal suits for criminal violations. The DMW has urged victims of Hikari to come forward and seek assistance through the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau, with complaints accepted via the bureau's Facebook page, email at [email protected], or through the hotline number +63 2 8721-0619.
