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Document counterfeiters openly ply their trade in Manila
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has charged a Myanmar national, Kyaw Swar Win, for submitting a forged academic certificate to the Controller of Work Passes to obtain a work pass.
Kyaw pleaded guilty to the charge in Court yesterday (30 Oct) and was sentenced to 4 weeks’ jail.
...MOM said investigations revealed that Kyaw was aware that his employment agency in Myanmar had misled MOM to believe that he was a degree holder when an online application for an S pass was made for him to work as a supervisor for Leong Guan Food Manufacturer.
Kyaw was given a copy of the forged certificate by the Myanmar employment agent, which he submitted to MOM on 23 Apr 2009. Kyaw only attended up to high school education in Myanmar.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA), foreigners who use fake degrees to illegally obtain work passes may be fined up to $15,000, jailed up to 12 months, or both.
In the first nine months of 2012, MOM has prosecuted 39 offenders for similar offences.
As part of the amendments passed in Parliament last month in Sep, the penalties under the EFMA will be enhanced by year end.
For example, the maximum fines for submission of forged academic certificates by foreign workers will be up to $20,000 from the current maximum of $15,000. Offenders may also be jailed for up to 24 months, up from the current 12 months.
More importantly, under the enhanced EFMA, the burden of proof will shift to errant workers. It will presume that a work pass applicant has knowledge of the information provided in his application, including that of the qualifications which have been submitted. The burden of proof will now be placed on the errant workers. An innocent worker can rebut the presumption by proving that he did not have knowledge of the submission of false qualifications when the declaration was made.
It is fairly easy for foreigners of these 3rd world countries to buy fake degrees. For example, one can easily buy a fake degree for US$10 in Manila (‘You can buy a “degree” for US$10 in Manila‘). It takes about 2 hours to complete with one’s name properly embossed in the fake certificate.
These document counterfeiters even openly ply their trade between Claro M. Recto and Rizal Avenues in the Philippines capital. Term papers and end-of-year assignments can also be bought there.
Cecilia Rohas, a former student at Polytechnic University of the Philippines, said, “I was too busy studying for the end-of-year exams to do the term paper. Everybody does it.”
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has charged a Myanmar national, Kyaw Swar Win, for submitting a forged academic certificate to the Controller of Work Passes to obtain a work pass.
Kyaw pleaded guilty to the charge in Court yesterday (30 Oct) and was sentenced to 4 weeks’ jail.
...MOM said investigations revealed that Kyaw was aware that his employment agency in Myanmar had misled MOM to believe that he was a degree holder when an online application for an S pass was made for him to work as a supervisor for Leong Guan Food Manufacturer.
Kyaw was given a copy of the forged certificate by the Myanmar employment agent, which he submitted to MOM on 23 Apr 2009. Kyaw only attended up to high school education in Myanmar.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA), foreigners who use fake degrees to illegally obtain work passes may be fined up to $15,000, jailed up to 12 months, or both.
In the first nine months of 2012, MOM has prosecuted 39 offenders for similar offences.
As part of the amendments passed in Parliament last month in Sep, the penalties under the EFMA will be enhanced by year end.
For example, the maximum fines for submission of forged academic certificates by foreign workers will be up to $20,000 from the current maximum of $15,000. Offenders may also be jailed for up to 24 months, up from the current 12 months.
More importantly, under the enhanced EFMA, the burden of proof will shift to errant workers. It will presume that a work pass applicant has knowledge of the information provided in his application, including that of the qualifications which have been submitted. The burden of proof will now be placed on the errant workers. An innocent worker can rebut the presumption by proving that he did not have knowledge of the submission of false qualifications when the declaration was made.
It is fairly easy for foreigners of these 3rd world countries to buy fake degrees. For example, one can easily buy a fake degree for US$10 in Manila (‘You can buy a “degree” for US$10 in Manila‘). It takes about 2 hours to complete with one’s name properly embossed in the fake certificate.
These document counterfeiters even openly ply their trade between Claro M. Recto and Rizal Avenues in the Philippines capital. Term papers and end-of-year assignments can also be bought there.
Cecilia Rohas, a former student at Polytechnic University of the Philippines, said, “I was too busy studying for the end-of-year exams to do the term paper. Everybody does it.”
