Inbox: Teachers recruited illegally
July 8, 2004
It's time to visit the Inbox and have readers say their piece.
In February of 2003, I started writing a series entitled "Filipinos packing up". I wrote about teachers in the first installment and referenced a high-school classmate who successfully obtained a working visa to teach Math at a school district in El Paso, Texas. Last week, I received an e-mail basically saying that about 300 Filipino teachers brought in to Texas School Districts (including El Paso) by a certain recruiter have had bad visas. My high-school classmate came to mind right away.
The modus operandi was basically the same as it is for nurses and other workers (explained fully in the succeeding parts of my series). The teachers were promised jobs at a certain school district. When they arrived, no slots were available at that district so they were forced to seek jobs in other schools (illegal under the H1B visa guidelines). Everything was fine for the duration of their working visas. That is, until the time of renewal. The school district that hired them was heavily fined and the U.S. Homeland Security may send those teachers home.
I haven't talked to my high-school classmate in about a year and I am not saying she is one of the teachers. But let this serve as a warning to all of you out there who deal with recruiters, whether you're a nurse, teacher, or recruited to work in hotels. Research and check everything before paying the recruiting fee. You may not be able to recoup it before U.S. immigration authorities catch up with your employer and worse, you.
I did check the veracity of the facts in the e-mail. Here are some of the related news items from the El Paso Times - (23 YISD teachers have bad visas), (Teacher visa error mustn't fall on taxpayers), (Filipino teachers may not be staying on after all).
This is basically a copy of the e-mail originally sent to a reporter of the El Paso Times who first wrote about the Filipino teachers:
"In my search for information about the El Paso Teachers I came accross
your article dated March 9, 2004 entitled "23 YISD teachers have bad
visas". I know you were trying to get in touch with the recruiter. I can
give you their present phone numbers and address but before that I think
you should be aware that this recruiter is now under investigation with
Pending charges of Illegal Trafficking of Foreign Alien and Money
Laundering - charges brought about by the Homeland Security Immigration
Services and the FBI of El Paso - and there were no reports on this story, no
newspaper I know of covered this story and the recruiter continues to
recruit hundreds of teachers in the Philippines and charging some $500
to $800 just to take the qualifying exams, thousands of Filipinos still
buy on their pitch even there were no teachers able to leave the
country in 2004, allegedly they told the teachers no one pass the qualifying
exam or test given. But they paid their money anyway.
Clearly, they are in it just for the money. The authorities should stop
them from ever operating again even if the case is still pending in
courts.
Here's the story...
In August of 2003, Officers of Homeland Security Task Force (more than
25 officers from the Immigration , FBI and US Customs offices) raided
the office of Omni Consortium Inc. / Multicultural Professional Llc,
office address 1035 Dairy Ashford Drive Ste 300 , Houston, Texas 77077.
The task force confiscated boxes of documents relating to their
recruiting activities, accounting records, applicant's files, including a mirror
copy of all their computer hard drives.
Charges of Illegal Trafficking of Foreign Workers and Money Laundering
were brought against the company and its owners (CEO Mrs.Florita
Tolentino and President Noel Tolentino). Case now pending with United State
District Court Western District at El Paso Texas.
The investigation and search was initiated as a result of complaints to
El Paso Immigration office by several Filipino teachers who arrive in
2003 under H1B Visa (Temporary Working Permit granted to non-immigrants
to legally work in USA). There were about 300 Filipino teachers in
2003 brought in to Texas School Districts by this recruiter (Multicultural
Porfessionals Llc). Many did not have a job waiting.
The information above can be verified with the Office of US Attorney's
Office El Paso District. Address: 700 E. San Antonio, STE 200 El Paso,
Texas 79901 Tel. (915) ***-6884. The agent incharge is Shawn Crump...
Omni Consortium Inc. Or Multicultural Professionals LLc is still
operating a recruiting office in 1035 Dairy Ashford Rd. Suite #350 Houston,
Texas Tel. 281-***-6550 - Angelica Tolentino is the the current Manager.
You can also try to contact Florita Tolentino, CEO at her Cell Phone
956-***-1351 or their office at McAllen 956-***-7376.
Some El Paso School Districts Officials are also involved in stories of
widespread bribery to these officials circulating and the FBI are
investigating.
You should also be aware that this recruiter have been also involved in
similar anomaly in 1991 where they have recruited Nurses from the
Philippines, Story was on the Channel 13 Eyewitness News Houston, Texas
Investigative reports by Wayne Dulcefino, no formal investigation were done
nor any charges were brought against Omni consortium Inc. but you should
be able to get videos of the News aired in channel 13. (If you are
interested I can mail you a DVD copy of the news in 1991/92)
I am sending this information to you in the hope that you would publish
this story in your local paper and online news hopefully Filipino
communities will catch up and would serve as warning to thousands of
applicants in the Philippines.
Please give some time on this story, I know you are busy with many
things but take time to investigate, get the facts from the western court
district in your area.
I am just requesting my identity not be disclosed as I am closely
related to the Tolentinos / Omni... do your own reasearch I know you would
do the right thing.
Sincerely,
Name withheld
Update: Please read this thread at the Forum.
* * *
More from the Inbox:
"I am 14 year's old boy that my mother circumcised me last year by
force. i resisted hardly but she cut me. i am angry from her because that is
a part of my body and i want it. i have some problem. i think that i
loss a part of my sensitiveness. i feel a tension in my penis because
loss of large part of my foreskin. only thing that i want from parents is
this that they allow to their boys that they decide themselves about
this surgery. Dear sir how can i do until reduce this tension? please
help me."
Amin
* * *
"You are doing a great job, mate! I frequently visit the website and
have continued to enjoy reading its contents. Your articles are humorous
and Dan's very insightful. With a globalized world where people go
everywhere, this is a good form of bridging our ties. Unless of course, you
don't want to (as you say :-)
Continue the good work."
Jess Encena
* * *
"we're currently doing a thesis on this topic. you're
insights have done us great help. though it's quite late for a reaction, i'd
still want to share my point of view. i think that the medical
malpractice bill will only cripple the industry instead of helping. it most
doctors would probably opt to go abroad to work rather than stay here. my
brother's a doctor. he and his wife are seriously thinking about
leaving for Australia. maybe this bill would only add to the ongoing out flux
of valuable human resource."
norikoseiki
* * *
"Rolour,
It's a pity that this site's potentials has not yet been fully
realized, but it is heartening to know that more and more are registering and
the exchange of ideas in the Forum has vibrant and very active as
compared to several years ago.
For those who visit this site infrequently, they may think that all
this site does is to bash people but for those of us who regularly visit
it, we know that criticisms here are made because of our concern for our
alma mater and most importantly because we want to get involved in
whatever way we can, and to the best of our abilities and inspite of our
limited capacities, in helping our alma mater, the students and faculty.
In short, giving back, no matter how little, to the school that have
shaped us and greatly contributed to what we are and where we are right
now.
For most of us away from our alma mater, whether in the Philippines or
elsewhere in the four corners of the globe, who missed our school,
classmates who would just like to get in touch, we have a home here, the
WVSUMEDAA website. And as in our very own homes, everybody is welcome
here.
Visit this site regularly and make it a habit, it is fun and even
therapeutic and uplifting to know that the problems you might be keeping,
with regards to your practice, are actually also problems shared by your
fellow doctors. Join us, post and be heard, for we would surely like to
hear from you too.
R. Pineda
* * *
"You are doing great with what you are doing and should keep
on doing. In this "matrix" nothing else would connect us from the real
world but this link. You are the link that was never missing, but has
found its way , its role between the Zion that is the WVSUCM and the
matrix that is the WVSUCMAA. Let us then be courriers between dreams and
reality. Who knows? Those who are still dreaming may come to wake up
and realize that there exist indeed a reality which is the WVSUCMAA"
daemd
* * *
"Dear RG,
You wrote - 'If I make comments about, say, the alumni homecoming, it is simply
because I care, that's not being critical. Please take my comments for
what they are. Let's have an open mind about constructive criticisms.
They're not meant to destroy one's reputation just because it's "announced
to the whole world.'
I will be the first to second you on this. I have better regard of
our Colleagues and schoolmates than they themselves fully realize,
perhaps, when I make these "criticisms" or sincere-from-the heart-of-my
-bottom comments and experience-based proddings! They are proddings, in
fact, and I will not stoop to the level of their eyes-ears-and-mouth
closed denials of thr painful truths they refuse to accept! If they get
pissed, they belie their intelligence... Sorry for them, but I support
your... our cause!! More power...!!"
ngb
* * *
"We have a very dedicated physician here who is going to stay
no matter what. He is sacrificing professional achievement (in which
the U.S. can offer), personal safety in the place where he is staying,
and family.
Let us face it - Only a very small percentage of Pinoys can afford a
CABG op, MRI, etc. Even here in the U.S., a person whose resources are
limited fall into poverty. The net that catch him or her is Medicaid.
The Philippines does not have the equivalent of Medicaid. Get sick and
be hospitalized in the Philippines, you will not be able to get out of
the hospital until your bills are fully paid.
Should the path to medicine in the Philippines through martyrdom?"
Manny Moraleda
* * *
"can you give me recipe of la paz batchoy
i enjoyed cooking."
jmsorilla
* * *
"I really had a high regard to Dr Kadil, his motives are so
unselfish that whoever wnted to listen and just open their heart would
really find their self wondering if he/she could ever find her/himself
in his shoes...its very noble indeed and i doubt if I could ever stand
to that challenge...i envied him for having that golden virtue in his
heart...how i wish i could think less about myself, but how could i help
my fellowmen if I myself needed help??
hobo
* * *
"sweet article. you write very well.... I stumbled upon your
website. I lived in Manapla for 4 months.... ( I know a meager amount
of time...) but I found myself laughing at many of the things you said.
Of course my time in Manapla was well past your time.... 2001-2002 was
my time there, but the hospital is in sad shape, and they use the
grounds for the police post. (as least they did a year ago) Nice portrayal
of the people..."
Bradford
* * *
"ang pangit mo magsulat tol...hanap ka naman ng ibang
style...at jologs pa school mo."
Anonymous
* * *
"Try Amsterdam Schipol airport, most of the things you were
asking, they have it there..."
beth
* * *
"I find this very funny and ridiculous. Maybe Dr. Jocson is
uncircumcized and refuses to because he is afraid that is why he puts up
a stand against circumcision."
Anonymous
* * *
Thank you all and please keep the comments coming. They keep me stay sane and actually make this job worthwhile.
- RG
* * *
* * *
The author's e-mail address is at drgarcia(at)wvsumedaa.com
* * *
Views expressed on this column and any other by-lined articles on this site are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization or its members.
