HSW reforms draw positive response in Saudi Arabia

Department of Labor and Employment, www.dole.gov.ph
News Article
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The Philippine reforms on the deployment of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) that was strongly opposed for raising the HSWs' minimum monthly wage from US$200 to US$400 generated positive changes that removed the slave-like classification of domestic work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today said.

Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo D. Brion said the reform package raised not only the deployment wage of Filipino HSWs but also the job category of domestic helpers in the Kingdom from a lowly qadama or slave to HSW, which has been recognized as a position requiring set of skills, training, and at least a high school education.

Brion, citing a report from Riyadh-based Labor Attache Rustico dela Fuente, said the new policy also elicited a higher level of respect for Filipino HSWs from Saudi employers.

He said the new policy on Filipino domestic workers and the change in position title to HSWs resulted in the recognition and greater respect for Filipino HSWs as skilled workers who should not be abused but rather cared for and provided with better employment terms and conditions. Otherwise, employers may lose the vital services of Filipino HSWs.

The new thinking, Brion said, is being manifested by employers and their representatives who come to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh almost everyday indicating their support and compliance with the policy.

"The objective of promoting the welfare and protecting the interest of Filipino HSWs is certainly served by the policy itself," the Labor Chief said.

In December 2006, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) issued a package of welfare and protection reforms for HSWs raising the minimum salary of overseas Filipino HSWs from $200 monthly to $400 monthly. It removed from the HSWs the payment of placement fee. The HSWs, nonetheless, are required to undergo assessment. Those who fail the assessment three times will have to undergo skills training.

The new POEA rules for HSWs were strongly opposed due to fears that they may push employers overseas to hire HSWs from other countries who are willing to receive lower wages, thereby, easing out HSWs from the Philippines.

Contrary to such fears, Dela Fuente in his report said that 12 Saudi manpower agencies filed their application with POLO-Riyadh between May and August 2007 alone for pre-qualification to participate in the HSW new deployment scheme.

The labor attaché noted that Saudi recruiters initially expressed dismay on the implementation of the new policy for Filipino HSWs. The Saudis, however, began to give in as shown by daily appearances of employers or their representatives at the POLO to comply with the new HSW policy.

Source: Information and Publication Service