ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/16 January) – More Zamboanguenos left to work abroad in 2014 than in 2013, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said.
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Zamboanga Region (Region 9), increased by 1,893 from 11,248 to in 2013 to 13,141 in 2014.
Marietta Bellotindos of the Philippine Overseas Welfare Administration, attributed the increase of OFWs to the desire of the people, particularly skilled workers, in looking for greener pasture abroad.
Bellotindos said most of the OFWs they registered in 2014 were classified as “Balik Manggagawa” since they were former OFWs who were rehired to work abroad.
She said there was a decrease of 155 in the number of OFWs classified as “Name Hires” in 2014, from 687 in 2013 to 532 in 2014.
She explained the “Name Hires” OFWs are those referred to the employers by either their OFW friends or relatives.
She said the OFWs are mostly professionals while the others are service workers, laborers, managerial, sales workers, agricultural, and clerical.
She advised job seekers to apply only in legitimate recruitment agencies or through the POEA so as not to fall victim to illegal recruiters.
She added that there are 36 licensed recruitment agencies here in the region. (MindaNews)
