The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) closed down two establishments in Imus City, Cavite on July 9, 2025, after discovering they were being used as fronts for illegal recruitment activities.
The DMW identified the establishments as VMJ Beauty Salon and Jef & Eds Learning Center. The operation was carried out following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to crack down on illegal recruiters targeting vulnerable Filipinos hoping to work abroad.
DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara, who led the operation, emphasized the department’s mandate under Republic Act 11641 to protect aspiring overseas Filipino workers. “This is part of our intensified campaign against illegal recruitment and human trafficking as directed by President Bongbong Marcos Jr. and Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac,” he said.
The DMW-Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB), headed by Director Geraldine Mendez, launched the investigation after receiving a request from the NBI-Cavite North District. A series of surveillance operations were conducted on June 5, June 11, and July 1. The team discovered that the salon was collecting P15,000 from applicants supposedly for training in hairstyling and spa services, and referring them to a recruitment agency promising jobs in Saudi Arabia with a monthly salary of P35,000.
During the raid, a beautician was found inside the salon, while a caretaker and three applicants were discovered at the learning center, which also doubled as accommodation for recruits.
Alcantara issued a stern warning to those behind similar schemes: “If you don’t stop, the DMW, together with the PNP, NBI, and other government agencies under the Marcos administration, will go after you. We will shut you down and send you to jail.”
The owners will be charged with violations of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act (RA 8042). The DMW is also set to recommend the cancellation of their business name registrations to the local government and the Department of Trade and Industry.
These mark the 17th and 18th establishments shut down by the DMW for illegal recruitment in 2025. Authorities expect this number to rise as operations continue.
Victims of the closed establishments are encouraged to reach out to the DMW-MWPB via hotline +63 2 8721-0619, email at mwpb@dmw.gov.ph, or through their official Facebook page for assistance.