Pagpapalit ng recruitment agency ng foreign principal employer

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | May 29, 2021

Dear Chief Acosta,

May pananagutan ba ang recruitment agency sa Pilipinas na nagpalit ng principal employer sa ibang bansa para sa Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) na kanyang inempleyo, kung wala itong naging pahintulot sa pagpapalit buhat sa Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)? – Selicia

Dear Selicia,

Para sa inyong kaalaman, ayon sa Kataas-taasang Hukuman sa kasong Marcelo Corpuz, Jr. vs. Gerwill Crewing Phils., Inc. (G.R. No. 205725, January 18, 2021, Ponente: Honorable Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo),may pananagutan ang isang recruitment agency kung ito ay magpapalit ng foreign principal kaugnay ng pag-empleyo ng isang Pilipino sa ibang bansa nang walang pahintulot buhat sa Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Maliwanag na ipinabatid sa nasabing kaso na:

“Clearly, respondent's inaction or omission was against existing law and public policy as it perpetrated the illegal and pernicious practice of substituting the POEA-approved contract to the detriment of the Filipino worker. Having knowingly reneged on its obligation to ensure the welfare of petitioner while deployed abroad, and in allowing the substitution of a previously approved POEA contract, respondent should be held liable. To reiterate, Sec. 10 of R.A. No. 8042 allows the migrant worker to claim moral and exemplary damages in connection with the employment contract or as provided by law. In Becmen, 60 the Court imposed moral damages by reason of misconduct on the part of the employer under Article 2219(10) of the Civil Code, which allows recovery of such damages in actions referred to in Article 21.61 The Court also ordered the payment of exemplary damages to set an example to foreign employers and recruitment agencies on how to treat and act on the plight of distressed Filipino migrant workers.” [Binigyang-diin.]

Samakatuwid, kung mapatutunayang basta na lamang pinalitan ng recruitment agency ang foreign principal kaugnay ng employment ng Pilipino sa ibang bansa nang walang pahintulot buhat sa POEA, maaari silang mapanagot sa pagbabayad ng kaukulang danyos tungkol dito.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang inyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa impormasyon na inyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng inyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.