Mandaluyong city: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has issued a warning to Filipino applicants for seasonal work, along with local government units (LGUs) involved in South Korea's Seasonal Workers Program (SWP), regarding unauthorized recruiters offering services related to recruitment, training, and deployment.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DMW emphasized through a social media post on Wednesday that the involvement of brokers in the recruitment and deployment of seasonal workers to South Korea is strictly prohibited. The DMW's Advisory No. 54, series of 2026, highlights that the Republic of Korea has appointed the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' Korea Agency of Education, Promotion and Information Service in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (EPIS) as the sole "Central Government Agency Specialized in the Seasonal Worker Program."

Furthermore, the agency clarified that private companies in South Korea lack authorization to arrange or facilitate 'sisterhood' or twinning agreements between Philippine and South Korean LGUs for the program's implementation.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac advised participating LGUs to refrain from engaging with unauthorized companies or individuals. He stressed the importance of this measure to ensure the welfare and protection of Filipino seasonal workers, in line with the regulations governing overseas employment. Cacdac also mentioned that the warning aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to bolster protection for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

The DMW encouraged LGUs to seek further information about the SWP through its Pre-Employment and Government Placement Bureau, located at the DMW Building along Ortigas Avenue corner EDSA in Mandaluyong City.