MANILA, June 16 — The deployment of household service workers (HSWs) has declined drastically in the first five months of 2015, the Department of Labor and Employment reported.
“I have received a report yesterday from Philippine Overseas Employment Administration chief Hans Leo J.Cacdac that the deployment of newly-hired OFWs who are working as household service workers have decreased by 20 percent over a five-month period, from January to May 2015, compared to the same period in 2014. While the data is preliminary, it is very encouraging,” said Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis- Baldoz in a press release she issued from Geneva where she is attending the 104th International Labor Conference.
In his report, Administrator Cacdac said the decrease in the number of newly-hired HSW was broad enough, going down from 70,034 to only 55,961 during the period under review.
Saudi Arabia leads the countries with decreased number of newly-hired HSWs, registering only 20,949 compared to 26,570 in 2014; followed by United Arab Emirates which hired only 215 HSW in 2015 compared to 13,440 in 2014; and Hong Kong, which received only 5,825 HSWs compared to 8,409 in 2014.
Other leading countries of HSW destination which posted decreased HSWs hired during the five-month period are as follows: Singapore, from 4,853 in 2014 to only 3,798 in 2015; Bahrain, from 2,029 to 1,982; Malaysia, from 4,179 to only 1,725; Cyprus, from 424 to only 322; Brunei, from 273 to only 147; and Macau, from 143 to only 75.
Baldoz credited the decreased deployment of HSWs to the relentless reforms being implemented by the government to enhance the welfare and protection of OFWs, particularly HSWs, who are considered vulnerable and prone to abuses.
“Our household service workers reform package is working and I would like a long-term effect of the measures in the package to really move our HSWs from home-based occupations to occupations that not only pay good salaries and benefits, but also guarantee their protection,” said Baldoz.
She said that the strict approval of HSW job orders that have been in place since the beginning of the year must have also contributed to the decline in HSW deployment, coupled with other protective measures, such as a standard employment contract that provides minimum wage of US$400 per month, the no placement fee policy, and mandatory training.
Secretary Baldoz at the beginning of the year also required POLOs to align their training programs with TESDA regulations and ordered an on-site skills assessment and certification so that HSWs, especially those who are distressed and sheltered at the Filipino Workers Resource Center, could upgrade their skills and consider the option of taking up occupations with higher pay outside of their home-based domestic work.
Baldoz said these new policy thrusts are in line with the directive of the President under his Social Contract with the Filipino people to transform the POLOs into centers of care and excellence.
The good news, according to Baldoz, comes after her directive to the POEA the other day to prepare an update assessment of the impact of the reform policies for HSWs.
“I believe this is the right time for us to take a look at the impact of the new policies we implemented in January for the strict approval of HSW job orders only for employers who are compliant with international labor standards and the provisions of our employment contract, especially on the wages of our HSWs,” she said in her directive to Administrator Cacdac.
She said she would also like to know not only if the policy has made a dent on the numbers, but also if our Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) in countries of HSW destinations are in harmony with each other and with the home office in carrying out the policy; what are the difficulties they encounter; and the inputs and views they may have gathered from employers and workers that could be useful in further strengthening the policies. (DOLE)