Pinoys, Asians protest low HK wage for maids

MANILA, Philippines—More than 200 Filipino and Asian domestic helpers marched to the Hong Kong Central Government Office Sunday to protest the local government’s decision to peg the minimum allowable wage (MAW) of foreign maids at HK$3,580 (P22,520) a month.

“Wage freeze is an insensitive and inconsiderate response of the Hong Kong government in the face of the economic hardships facing workers right now. It vindicates our position that the policy of minimum allowable wage for foreign domestic helpers (FDWs) is against the rights of workers,” said Eman Villanueva, spokesperson of the protest organizer, Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB).

The maids, who included Filipinos, Thais, Nepalese and Sri Lankans, chanted slogans, raised placards and unfurled streamers denouncing the HK Executive Council’s decision last month to freeze their wages.

“The MAW does not work. In fact, what it does is keep our wage depressed and maintain the treatment of FDWs as no more than slaves and social welfare benefits of the government to employers,” Villanueva said.

He also slammed the MAW and its annual review by the Executive Council as “unjust, arbitrary and nontransparent,” adding that the process provided no venue for FDWs to lobby effectively or appeal the decision.

“If it is indeed working, why is it still in the level lower than that a decade ago? If it is really working, why are its bases and computations kept like a tightly-guarded secret and not open to scrutiny? The MAW is a whimsical policy and does not put the interest of workers as its priority,” Villanueva said.

The announcement of the year’s MAW review came on the heels of the Executive Council’s refusal to include FDWs in its proposed Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) for the Legislative Council.

“How many more times must the Hong Kong government trample us FDWs? There is no end to its exploitation of the vulnerability of FDWs as shown by its utter disregard of any moves that may at least alleviate our condition,” Villanueva said.

The AMCB said it would continue to challenge the Executive Council decision to exclude foreign domestic helpers from the SMW.

He said the AMCB was planning to conduct more community-based information and education activities, lobby Legislative Council members and local organizations, as well as appeal to trade unions and agencies such as the International Labor Organization (Ilo) to look into the discriminatory policy of excluding FDWs from the minimum wage bill.

With regard to the increase in the food allowance from HK$300 (P1,887)to HK$740 (P4,655) per month that was announced at the same time as the wage freeze, Villanueva said they welcomed the move but remained skeptical. –Jerome Aning, Philippine Daily Inquirer