Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act
Section 1. Role in Anti-Illegal Recruitment and the Overseas Employment Program. In the fight against illegal recruitment, the local government units (LGUs) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in partnership with the POEA, other concerned government agencies, and non-government organizations advocating the rights and welfare of OFWs, shall take a proactive stance by being primarily responsible for the dissemination of information to their constituents on all aspects of overseas employment. To carry out this task, the following shall be undertaken by the LGUs:
a. Launch an aggressive campaign against illegal recruitment. They shall provide legal assistance to victims of illegal recruitment and, when necessary, coordinate with appropriate government agencies regarding the arrest and/or prosecution of illegal recruiters. They shall report any illegal recruitment activity to the POEA for appropriate action.
b. Provide a venue for the POEA, other government agencies, NGOs, and trained LGU personnel to conduct Pre-Employment Orientation Seminars (PEOS) to their constituents on a regular basis.
c. Establish OFW help desks or kiosks in their localities with the objective of providing current information to their constituents on all the processes and aspects of overseas employment. Such desks or kiosks shall, as far as practicable, be fully computerized and shall be linked to the database of all concerned government agencies, particularly the POEA for its updated lists of overseas job orders and licensed agencies in good standing.
d. Establish and maintain a database pertaining to a master list of OFWs residing in their respective localities, classified according to occupation, job category, civil status, gender, by country or state of destination, including visa classification, name, address, and contact number of the employer.