MECO chairman Bello III calls for action against rogue recruiters exploiting Taiwan-bound Pinoy scholars

The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), has urged law enforcement agencies to take action against a Philippine-based agency that has been allegedly charging fees to young students participating in a scholarship program in Taiwan.

MECO chairman Silvestre Bello III also called on the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to also blacklist a certain Philippine-based agency that he claims is responsible for illegally collecting fees from the scholars.

The request came in response to reports the said agency has allegedly collected a total of P45,000 from each of the 32 students who recently arrived in Taipei on November 2. These funds were supposedly meant for airfare, visa fees, the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS), and the overseas employment certificate (OEC).

The MECO head said that while the scholars are responsible for the student visa fee and plane ticket expenses, the requirements of obtaining an OEC and undergoing a PDOS do not apply to them.

The cost of a one-way plane ticket to Taipei is approximately P10,000, while the processing fee for a student visa is around P2,400. Only Filipino workers leaving to work abroad are required to obtain an OEC and undergo a PDOS.

"Not only is the collection of OEC and PDOS fees excessive, but it is also clearly illegal," Bello said. "This agency must be held accountable for their unethical actions. We need to protect these young individuals who have been given the opportunity to pursue their dreams through the scholarship program and prevent them from falling victim to such deceitful practices."

The Ministry of Education in Taiwan has explicitly stated that universities and colleges should not accept scholars who have been recruited through agencies.

The scholarship is part of Taiwan's New Southbound Policy's Academe-Industry Collaboration Program, which offers Filipino students a work-study opportunity. The selection process is carried out in collaboration with the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of Saint Charles Borromeo-Scalabrinians (MSCS), who work with various dioceses in the Philippines.

Selected universities arrange internships for the students with industrial and semiconductor companies located in the Science and Industrial Park. These students also have the opportunity for immediate employment upon graduation.

The program is a three-year Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering majoring in Management (IEM), specially designed to integrate studies and internships over eight semesters.

During the first year, students study full-time on campus, with Mandarin lessons provided. The second year involves off-campus internship training, while the third year is spent full-time on campus. In the final year, students undergo further off-campus internship training.

Since its inception in March 2019, the program has produced 201 recipients. Two batches of Filipino engineers have already graduated this year, with the majority finding employment in Taiwan, while a few have returned to the Philippines to establish their own businesses or pursue higher studies.— TV reporters' contributions to GNO:Sunday, Nov 12, 2023/RF, GMA Integrated News