POEA Memorandum Circular No. 4 or the Guidelines on the Direct Hiring of Filipino Workers has drawn widespread flak from all sectors. The memorandum, issued on Dec. 18, 2007, makes no distinction between new and current overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). It states that foreign employers opting for direct hiring have to put up a repatriation bond of $5,000 and a performance bond equivalent to three months’ salary of the worker.

The repatriation bond and performance bond is just too high. Imagine if you'll have SG$4500 a month salary, your would-be employer have to shell out around SG$21,000. That's a lot of money! If I am the employer, I would rather get someone from other neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand or even from India as that won't cost them a dime.

Unfortunately, I'm personally affected by this circular. I am planning to move to work in Singapore and this memoramdum will definitely slim down my chances of landing a job. Some of my friends are already complaining especially those that are planning to move to another job.

As I have said, this is all for the good of the Filipinos but for sure, there are other ways to deal with it. I'm just hoping that the Philippine government is not doing this to arrest the rising peso as that's one of the stupid things to do. Oh well, this country has made just so much stupidity already.