The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has shut down an illegal recruitment agency in Quezon City on Friday, Dec. 15.

In a press release, the DMW said that the agency identified as Match Trend Training Assessment Center, located at 145 Biak na Bato, St., Quezon City, was a technical vocational institution that was allegedly conducting illegal recruitment of Filipino caretakers and factory workers with bogus job offers in Taiwan.

Despite having a registered program on Caretaker Level II, Match Trend is neither an accredited assessment facility with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority nor permitted by the DMW to recruit and employ Filipino workers overseas.

“Match Trend, under the guise as a technical vocational institution, preys on the hopes of aspiring Filipino workers to work in Taiwan by charging exorbitant training and processing fees and illegally referring them to foreign employers. This is a clear case of illegal recruitment,” DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said.

According to the report, Match Trend promises overseas employment to female caretakers in Taiwan in exchange for a Php 30,000 training fee and an initial payment of Php 6,000 for enrollment.

A lending institution is being contacted in case they cannot afford the required payment.

After applicants complete their training, Match Trend will put them with overseas companies, depending on the agency selected by the foreign company, will demand processing fees ranging from Php 40,000 to Php 45,000.

Additionally, MWPB said that the training facility provides jobs for Taiwanese factory workers.

Cacdac reaffirmed his warnings to Filipinos looking for work abroad to never deal with training facilities or companies that offer positions overseas, unless they have the proper authorization and DWM-approved job orders.