DOLE-7 warns jobseekers vs scammers

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Labor and Employment-7 has cautioned the public especially the jobseekers to be wary and stay vigilant as scammers and any sorts of unscrupulous individuals are becoming prevalent nowadays, who use various social media sites such as Facebook to advance their ulterior motives.

DOLE-7 regional director Lilia Estillore made this warning as the agency has caught sight of some social media postings that are neither associated with nor endorsed by the department.

In those postings, she said, jobseekers were required to post their personal information and other credentials in accordance with the supposed hiring of interns under the DOLE Government Internship Program (GIP).

“This is not the way we do hiring of GIPs. We do not share and amplify for the world to see the personal information of the applicants in adherence to Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act,” Estillore said.

GIP is a component of the KABATAAN:2000 that provides opportunities to program beneficiaries and engage them to serve the general public in government agencies/entities’ programs and projects at the national and local level.

Beneficiaries or the interns, she added, will receive stipend all throughout the duration of their internship, which is a minimum of three months to a maximum of six months.

In the latest memorandum issued by the DOLE-Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), all DOLE regional offices including the Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) are enjoined to work closely and make sure to validate the accreditation of any GIP hiring posted on social media sites.

“This is to ensure protection of the information of our jobseekers,” Estillore added.

Estillore instead urged interested applicants to visit the nearest PESO in their respective localities or the DOLE regional office and its field offices to inquire about the GIP program.

Estillore said that they do not promote the sharing of personal information of their program beneficiaries unless they explicitly receive their consent as it is prohibited by law without such consent. — GMR (FREEMAN)