Saudi bans Pinoy OFWs, stops work permits issuance

Saudi Arabia will stop issuing work permits to Filipino domestic helpers beginning July 2, adding pressure to the Aquino government to provide more jobs at home.

Saudi imposed the deployment ban to protest the monthly wage increase from $200 to $400 being sought by the Aquino administration for Filipino maids.

Rico Fos, Foreign Affairs Director for Migrant Workers Affairs, said Manila will

seek clarification from Saudi regarding the ban, which also includes Indonesia, but noted that it will not back down from negotiations seeking better pay for Filipino maids.

“The meeting will be held in July 4 in Riyadh between Philippine and Saudi officials. We hope something positive will come out of that dialog,” Fos said.

He said the bilateral meeting is expected to thresh out the concerns on both sides.

The ban has sparked fears that Saudi’s labor policy would increase unemployment and bear down on the country’s economy, which relies heavily on remittances of its 10 million overseas workers.

Saudi Arabia, a top destination for Philippine migrants, is host to at least 1.3 million Filipino workers.

But government officials assured that there are countries willing to absorb those Filipinos who can not be accommodated by Saudi. However, officials declined to provide further details.

A Filipino labor group believes that Aquino must prioritize and reinforce the creation of more jobs at home as the demand for foreigners in labor markets abroad shrinks.

“This is a huge setback to the Philippine economy that is too dependent on remittances,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator. –Michaela P. del Callar, Daily Tribune