The possible effects of Saudi Arabia’s decision to stop granting work permits to domestic helpers from the Philippines were downplayed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo told reporters Friday that the future displacements from the decision of the Kingdom to stop hiring domestic workers “would only be temporary.”
The central bank official added that over the past 10 years, the number of Filipino household helpers in Saudi Arabia “has gone down” significantly as more professional and skilled Filipino workers are employed.
The displaced Filipinos from Saudi Arabia may turn to Bahrain or United Arab Emirates for employment, according to Guinigundo.
There are about 1.2 million Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia, of which nearly 180,000 are employed as maids.
Just like in the past, overseas Filipino workers will always have a place somewhere around the globe when displacement problems take place, Guinigundo pointed out. “We had two Gulf wars but there was no dislocation of Filipino workers.”
Similarly, when the civilian unrest started in strife-torn Libya, Philippine authorities expected that at least 10,000 displaced OFWs would avail themselves of the currency exchange facility for Libyan dinars. But only 1,575 OFWs did transactions under the facility last March.
Prior to the launch of the Libyan dinar currency exchange facility, the local currency in the war-torn country led by strongman Muammar Gadhafi was not convertible to Philippine pesos.
OFW remittances in 2010 grew by 8.2 percent to a record $18.76 billion from $17.35 billion in 2009, due to the continued demand for skilled Filipino workers abroad as well as the expansion of remittance centers.
Central bank data showed that the Middle East accounted for about 16 percent of the total OFW remittances last year.
Remittances from the Middle East posted a double-digit growth of 11.2 percent to $2.96 billion last year, from $2.66 billion. More than half, or $1.644 billion, came from Saudi Arabia. — JE/VS, GMA News
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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