Nineteen manning agencies are facing sanctions after a recent Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) crackdown on illegal recruitment at Manila’s Luneta Park. None of them reportedly had the requisite Special Recruitment Authority (SRA) to hire workers outside their registered offices. We totally approve of the POEA action. The open solicitation for ship officers and ratings by representatives of crewing outfits doesn’t only violate the rules. It has turned the historic park into a marketplace where one can acquire and then market seafarers as though they were commodities.
The list of erring companies includes some big names. POEA identified them as Korpil Shipmanagement and Manning Corp, Seaboard Maritime, Wallem Maritime Services, Avantgarde Shipping Corp, Univan Management Services Phils, Century Maritime Agencies, Solpia Marine and Ship Management, Great Swiss Maritime Services, Intercrew Philippines Agency, Epsilon Maritime Services, C-Man Maritime, Trans-Global Maritime Agency, Cardiff Crewing Filipinas, International Ship Crew Management Phils, Michaelmar Phils, Hanjin Shipping, Evic Human Resource Management, Morning Mist Maritime Services, and Seafarers Shipping.
According to the POEA, undercover agents who posed as applicants were handed company brochures, calling cards and flyers containing job openings by representatives of the manning firms. Three of the companies – Seaboard Maritime, Hanjin Shipping and Morning Mist Maritime Services – were later found to be unlicensed whilst the rest had valid POEA licences. The POEA had earlier fined 12 agencies for the same offense, but we doubt if the practice will end any time soon.
Luneta is where hundreds of seafarers congregate. It’s centrally located; many manning firms and shops are located nearby; and there are trees under which the lads can cool their heels. For crewing agents, hiring at the Park allows for a face-to-face encounter with prospective applicants. Filipinos love the personal touch. But convenient as it may seem for both parties, the system is inefficient and – to use a once-popular term – so Third World. Why not use the internet and social media? It’s time to professionalise. ~Barista Uno
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I agree with you regarding the internet and social media use. For us, as a seafarer it is much easier to look in the internet than going to the luneta. But also, i cannot deny that some seafarer go to luneta not just to look for company’s but also to stay there to find/make some friends, unwind, relax, listen to the different opinion of our fellow seafarer’s,listen to the different news regarding our jobs.Luneta is a placed where seafarers gather not just to find jobs but also to find friends, to interact with our fellow seafarers. For me it is not necessary to close the luneta for seafarers, manning company,etc. but what the POEA shall do is to strengthen there implementation of there guidelines, rules / law in order not to be abuse by some other manning company.
You are right, Raymund. I think it’s time for POEA to put an office extention at kalaw as complaints section to monitor this manning agencies that try to victimize seafarers by tricking them for early repatriation.
An interesting read! The POEA can perhaps facilitate a level-playing field for both the recruiters and the recruits.
Hi,
My brother is currently applying for apprenticeship as engine cadet. He went to Manila last July to personally send his resume. He is currently struggling in regards to his application because he is required to have a backer or referrals. Unfortunately, we don’t have any relatives or anyone who can backed him up. Yesterday, someone from Seaboard Maritime called him up to report to their office because he was hired as apprentice but then to my dismay he needs to pay 20K for placement fee in exchange for his apprenticeship. I asked my brother to send me the company website so I can check if they are a good agency. While waiting for his reply, I also search on the web for some reviews of the said maritime agency and landed here on your website. Based from the post here, I won’t allow my brother to pursue his application to Seaboard Maritime.
Can someone help me here? I’m trying to help my bro but i have no idea which maritime agency is best when it comes to apprenticeship. I’m very cautious when it comes to placement fee because I know there are lots of fixers down the street and he might end up on their hands.
Your help will be highly appreciated!
Thanks!
Luneta Park in Manila has been a convergence point for seafarers since the 80s and a venue for manning agencies to showcase their companies to job applicants.But the problem: the Luneta Seafarers Welfare Foundation (LUSWELF) Center is being used like a market place. Even the toilet is being commercialized, I don’t know where the money goes. The center doesn’t even have a cold water fountain for the poor seafarers to use. Swindlers and illegal recruiters also hang out in the area.
Manning agency personnel also victimize seafarers by advertising urgent deployment but actually they only try to collect reserve seafarers and officers for the next two to three months. Once you submit your papers to the agency, you are stuck without knowing when your actual departure will be. They will give you a lot of ecuses like a change in schedule. Others intimidate by asking you to pay for the inhouse training courses once you try to withdraw your documents. There’s a lot of such agencies tricking seafarers in Luneta Park/TM Kalaw area in Manila.
It has been noticed in Manila that most manning agencies are conspiring with each other and manipulating the wage scale of the seafarers as per ITF FOC standard. How come up to this time the wage scale of an able seaman all-in is 1200 dollars? That was the rate in the 1980s. Most ship owners are willing to pay high wages but these evil manning agencies want that only they will survive.