Pursuant to Department Order No. 37, Series of 1996, lifting the suspension of accreditation for new principals in Japan, the following guidelines are issued.


All Philippine recruitment agencies seeking accreditation of new Japanese principals hiring Overseas Performing Artists (OPAs) shall submit the following documentary requirements:

A.        Initial Accreditation

1.  Authenticated and verified Special Power of Attorney (SPA) issued by the Japanese principal/promotions agency in favor of the Philippine recruitment agency;

2.  Authenticated and verified Recruitment Agreement executed by and between the licensed Philippine recruitment agency and the Japanese principal;

3.  Authenticated and verified Model Employment Contract;

4.  Verified affidavit of undertaking executed by the foreign promoter/principal (copy attached);

5.  Verified initial booking for a minimum of 50 OPAs upon application, spread over a period of one year;

6.  Pre-qualification certificate of the foreign principal/promoter duly issued by the Office of the Labor Attache pursuant to Administrative Guidelines Implementing Department Circular No. 01-91 and conditioned on the attendance of the President and other senior officers and staff of the Japanese promotions company at a special briefing in accordance with Department Order No. 37 Series of 1997.

7.  Escrow deposit of US $ 20,000 or its equivalent Philippine currency to be deposited in any Philippine bank;

8.  Verified Memorandum of Agreement between the Philippine entertainment industry association and its counterpart industry association in Japan where subject principal is a member. Such Memorandum of Agreement shall be in accordance with Department Order No. 21, Memorandum Circular No. 36 (Series of 1996) and Memorandum Circular No. 2 (Series of 1997).

B.        Renewal of Accreditation of Principals accredited prior to the issuance of DO 37 Series of 1996

a.      All of the above accreditation requirements; and

b.      Clearances from the Office of the Labor Attache, the Welfare and Employment Office and Adjudication Office of the POEA relating to:

- nature and number of complaints/cases lodged against the principal; and

- cooperation in the settlement of problems and resolution of cases.

The validity of accreditation is two (2) years unless sooner revoked by the POEA.


Violation(s) of any provision of this Circular shall be subject to applicable sanctions per existing regulations on overseas employment.

This Circular takes effect after 15 days from its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

For compliance.

Adopted: 5 May 1997