President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has named Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac as Secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Cacdac’s appointment was signed by Marcos on Thursday, a copy of which was made available to the media.
He served as officer in charge of the DMW after the passing of former secretary Susan “Toots” Ople in August last year.
Before his ad interim appointment in the Cabinet, Cacdac also served as Executive Director V of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration; Executive Director V of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration; and Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment.
Padlocked
Meanwhile, the offices of an immigration consultancy firm were simultaneously padlocked by the DMW on Thursday for illegally offering jobs in Canada to Filipino nurses, caregivers, nursing aides and welders.
NEWLY-APPOINTED Department of Migrant Workers Secreatry Hans Leo Cacdac leads the closure of Dream Pathway Education and Immigration Services in Mandaluyong City on Thursday (April 25, 2024). The firm’s branches in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Apalit, Pampanga; and Lipa City, Batangas were also padlocked in a simultaneous operation. DMW PHOTO
Cacdac led the closure operation against Dream Pathway Education and Immigration Services in its head office in Mandaluyong City, while the DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) conducted the closure of its three branches in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Apalit, Pampanga; and Lipa City, Batangas in coordination with local police and government units.
“Dream Pathway is among the unauthorized entities taking advantage of Canada’s immigration programs, which are being used as a doorway to Canada for temporary work before reaching permanent residency,” Cacdac said.
Aside from charging exorbitant processing fees to hopeful applicants, Dream Pathway does not have a proper license from the DMW, he added.
Surveillance operations earlier conducted by the DMW-MWPB showed that the firm charges PHP110,000 as professional fee for various jobs in Canada under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) program.
“Filipinos bound for Canada under AIP must undergo contract verification and documentary processing by the DMW, as legal documentation as OFWs, whether through direct hire processing or a licensed Philippine recruitment agency,” Cacdac said.
Illegal recruitment charges will be filed against Dream Pathway, and the DMW is urging victims to get in touch with the department for assistance in filing cases against the consultancy firm.
Dream Pathway’s officers and personnel will also be included in the DMW’s "List of Persons and Establishments with Derogatory Record" and will be permanently banned from participating in government overseas recruitment programs.
On April 12, the DMW issued Advisory 9, which provides guidelines and processes governing the documentation of Filipinos under Canada’s immigration program.
The advisory requires Canada-bound Filipino workers to pass through the DMW verification process to prevent illegal recruitment and trafficking of persons.
Cacdac also reminded OFWs planning to apply for work in Canada of the “no placement fee policy.” PNA