The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Philippines has ordered the closure of Polaris Manpower and Documentation Services in Sta. Cruz, Manila after it was allegedly found engaging in illegal recruitment activities under the guise of a government-to-government hiring program.
The enforcement operation, led by the DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB), was carried out in coordination with the Manila Police District and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) following surveillance and validation efforts.
Authorities said the agency was operating without a valid DMW license while allegedly offering overseas job placements for positions such as hotel workers, production operators or packers, and cleaners in countries including Taiwan, Canada, Finland, and New Zealand.
Applicants were reportedly promised unusually high monthly salaries ranging from ₱170,000 to ₱210,000. They were also allegedly required to pay up to ₱260,000 for documentation and visa processing fees.
DMW Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia, who led the operation, warned that the scheme exposed jobseekers to financial exploitation and the misuse of official overseas employment pathways. He also noted that referral-based recruitment models like the one allegedly used by the agency could widen the pool of potential victims.
Olalia further clarified that legitimate government-to-government hiring programs do not require the involvement of private intermediaries or third-party agencies in the processing and deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
With the latest closure, the DMW said it has now shut down a total of 11 establishments linked to alleged illegal recruitment activities in 2026, as part of intensified nationwide enforcement measures.
The agency has urged aspiring OFWs to verify recruitment agencies and approved job orders only through its official channels before applying for overseas employment.