PHL, UAE move closer toward pact for Pinoy domestic workers

The Philippines and the United Arab Emirates drew closer to forging a bilateral agreement that would ensure the rights of Filipino domestic workers in the UAE.

Philippine Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the UAE may prepare by November a detailed agreement patterned after the Philippines’ agreement with Saudi Arabia.

“A note verbale has been given regarding this but they said they will prepare a more detailed agreement, patterned after our bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia by November this year,” she said, according to a report posted on Gulf News Tuesday night.

She added UAE labor minister Saqr Ghobash had assured her they are “willing to sit down with us to discuss the affairs of the Filipino household service workers here in the UAE.”

Last May, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia signed a bilateral agreement that assures Filipino housemaids a minimum wage of $400 a month. The household helpers are also entitled to weekly days off and rest periods, paid annual leave, and humane treatment.

The Gulf News report said such an agreement with the UAE may address issues such as underpayment, contract substitution, overwork, and mistreatment of maids.

“For now, we do not hesitate in blacklisting agencies and employers from our list if they do not agree to abide by our labor laws,” Baldoz was quoted as saying in the report.

48-hour policy

The Gulf News also quoted Baldoz as saying that the Philippine labor office in Dubai has started implementing the 48-hour rule for the housemaids’ recruitment companies to provide return tickets for repatriation.

Philippine rules stipulate return tickets of housemaids are to be shouldered by recruitment agencies if they are to be repatriated.

While in the UAE, Baldoz met with some 50 distressed Filipina workers, most of whom worked as domestic workers, and told them not to lose hope for the future.

She also urged them to avail of government skills-training programs. — KBK, GMA News