COTABATO CITY — To strengthen recruitment practices and combat illegal recruitment activities across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the third Bangsamoro Annual Recruitment Agency Summit (BARAS) was held on December 2, 2024 at Surya Hall, Mall of Alnor.

Organized by the Bureau of Employment Promotion and Welfare (BEPW) of the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE), the event brought together representatives from accredited recruitment agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of Cotabato City.

In his opening message, MOLE Minister Muslimin Sema, represented by Bangsamoro Director General Surab Abutazil, Jr., emphasized the value of unity and cooperation in advancing the welfare of overseas Bangsamoro workers.

“This summit is a key opportunity for all of us to collaborate, exchange ideas, and ensure that we are all working towards a common goal: to build a skilled, competent, and empowered workforce for Bangsamoro,” he remarked.

In addition, BEPW Director Sara Jane Sinsuat conveyed her appreciation for the participants’ continued patronage in the annual summit. “I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for the incredible support that you are giving to the ministry. Your accreditation to MOLE is a manifestation that you are one with us in sharing our campaign to eliminate illegal recruitment in our region as well as in the whole country,” she stated.

The program highlighted the presentation of annual reports and best practices by local recruitment agencies. Allan Mamalak, marketing officer of Athenna International Manpower Services, Inc., shared the agency’s efforts in transparent communication and monitoring throughout the recruitment process. “Aside from seminars and training, the good practices of our agency include open communication and close monitoring with the employees all throughout the process (from departure to deployment),” he shared.

Meanwhile, Donald Hongitan, branch manager of Doha Energy International Manpower Services, Inc., stressed the importance of stringent screening procedures. “The best practice of our agency is the proper conduct of screening and interview to avoid being outsmarted by unscrupulous applicants or deploying a different person,” he said. He further noted, “This is to ensure that we come up with quality domestic workers versus quantity applicants.”

Aside from the aforementioned, representatives from MMML Recruitment Services, Inc.; Eastern Overseas Employment Center, Inc.; Top High Global Resources, Inc.; 3МЕ Manpower Services; and Noor International Personnel Services, Inc. also attended the summit. Said recruitment agencies are all accredited by the Recruitment and Accreditation Division of BEPW-MOLE, under the provision of Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 9, also known as the Recruitment Agency Regulation Act of 2020.

Representatives from law enforcement agencies also gave their messages of support. Michael James Untal from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-BARMM and PLtCol. Alinaid Moner from the Cotabato City Police Office both pledged continued cooperation of their respective offices to address illegal recruitment concerns in the region.

MOLE Deputy Minister Tommy Nawa reaffirmed in his closing remarks the collective commitment for a just and ethical recruitment.

The summit concluded with a ceremonial signing on the commitment wall that symbolized the unified resolve of all participants to support against illegal recruitment in BARMM and to uphold the spirit of cooperativism in initiatives that promote the welfare of all Bangsamoro migrant workers.

This year’s summit underscored MOLE’s dedication to fortifying moral governance and ethical practices in the recruitment sector, setting the foundation for a more competitive and transparent labor and employment landscape in the Bangsamoro region. (MOLE-ICD)