Another Filipina domestic worker denounces diplomat in US
By RODNEY J. JALECO, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
WASHINGTON DC - Another Filipina domestic helper has come out to denounce a member of the diplomatic community here.
Ma. Loisa Gil – Malou to friends - tells ABS-CBN News that Oren Sagir, allegedly a member of the Israeli Embassy security staff, violated the work contract they signed in Quezon City in September 2006 before she agreed to go to the United States. The contract specified wages of $284 a week plus overtime but Gil alleges she was paid barely half of that promised amount.
"Sana $1,200 a month, ang ginagawa $500 a month lang. Kukuhanan pa ‘yan ng renta ng bahay. Kaunti na lang matitira, mga $300 a month na lang, papadala ka pa sa Pilipinas," she said.
Gil, a single mother, is supporting a child who lives with her parents back home.
She claimed to have regularly worked 10 to 12-hour days - on some days - close to midnight taking care of her employer’s five-month-old child, without overtime pay.
"Mahirap talaga buhay, ‘yong halos hindi ka na maka-afford ng living expenses tapos i-treat ka pa ng employer mo na para kang mawalan ng self-respect and dignity," Gil added.
She left after working in the Sagir household for only seven months.
"I felt so hopeless. Gusto mo magreklamo pero hindi ka makapagreklamo kasi sino tutulong sa ‘yo?" Gil asked.
Her revelation comes in the wake of a similar complaint by former domestic helper Marichu Baoanan against former Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja.
Baoanan accused Baja, his wife and daughter with 14 counts of exploitation and abuse in New York. Baja denies the charges, describing Baoanan’s charges as political harassment stemming from his friendship with former Speaker Jose de Venecia.
Abuse by diplomats may be rampant
But Gil alleges that the abuse of domestic helpers by diplomats is more rampant than most people think. "Marami ako natanong na mga Filipino na nagiging domestic workers din, mga 5 years, 10 years na sila nagtatrabaho para sa mga diplomat. Lahat pala sila, yung abnormal nagiging normal na sa isip nila."
"Sabi nila pag nagtrabaho ka sa diplomat, kaunti lang mare-receive mo, yung sobra hindi na ibibigay sa ‘yo kasi ganyan, hindi tayo pwede mag-reklamo, powerful ang mga iyan," Gil revealed.
She says winning back her unpaid wages and overtime was now secondary to taking up the cudgels to Filipino domestic workers who are too scared to come out.
"Naisip ko if I don’t fight, walang boses ang mga taong ito na nag-iisip ‘talagang dapat tayo magtiis’ pero ‘yong iba hindi makatiis, lumalayas, nagiging problema ngayon natin," she averred.
A US congressional study revealed that at least 42 persons who arrived on in the US on diplomats’ domestic workers visas reported some form of abuse at hands of their employers.
"The total number of alleged incidents since 2000 is likely higher for four reasons – household workers’ fear of contacting law enforcement, nongovernmental organizations’ protection of victim confidentiality, limited information on some cases handled by the US government, and federal agencies’ challenges identifying cases," the report said.
Lawyer Arnedo Valera, executive director of Virginia-based Migrant Heritage Commission, affirmed the report’s findings.
"Ang mas mahalaga dito hindi lang ‘yong demand ni Malou kasi batay sa information may mga parehong Filipino domestic workers under the A-visa (given to diplomats’ staff) na ganoon din kaya lang nga natatakot lumabas," he explained.
Malou said she has talked to at least 10 compatriots working as domestics for diplomats who admitted they were in similar straits. But she adds, "pero hindi pa kasama dito ‘yong kakilala ng kakilala nila."
There is no data on precisely how many Filipinos work in foreign embassies here, but they are sizeable partly because they’ve been able to network among themselves.
Malou, for instance, was able to work for her Israeli employer thanks to another Filipino who worked for one of the diplomats here.
"Nakita ko na widespread pala ito, kasi hindi lang sa embassy na ito, sa ibang embassy nangyayari rin ito. Sa mga nakausap ko, hindi lang sa dalawa o tatlong embassy, mas marami pa doon," she added.
The US has vowed to tighten the issuance of A-3 visas (employees of diplomatic officials and staff members) and G-5 visas (employees of officials of international organizations like the United Nations or World Bank) to help stop abuses against domestic helpers.
"Hindi lang ito isyu ng utang ng loob kasi minsan itong utang ng loob na Filipino value nagiging negative. It stifles your right to demand for your rights. Ang mahalaga sa atin, kung magtatrabaho ka sa labas ng Pilipinas dapat respetuhin ang dignity of labor, dapat respetuhin nila ang pagkatao mo bilang Filipino," Valera stressed.
In fairness, Gil said, there are diplomats here that treat their domestic workers fairly. "Mayroon naman na nagbibigay din ng tama," she said.
Valera said they are negotiating with lawyers of the Israeli diplomat, but added they won’t hesitate to file charges if Malou fails to get unpaid wages due her.
WASHINGTON DC - Another Filipina domestic helper has come out to denounce a member of the diplomatic community here.
Ma. Loisa Gil – Malou to friends - tells ABS-CBN News that Oren Sagir, allegedly a member of the Israeli Embassy security staff, violated the work contract they signed in Quezon City in September 2006 before she agreed to go to the United States. The contract specified wages of $284 a week plus overtime but Gil alleges she was paid barely half of that promised amount.
"Sana $1,200 a month, ang ginagawa $500 a month lang. Kukuhanan pa ‘yan ng renta ng bahay. Kaunti na lang matitira, mga $300 a month na lang, papadala ka pa sa Pilipinas," she said.
Gil, a single mother, is supporting a child who lives with her parents back home.
She claimed to have regularly worked 10 to 12-hour days - on some days - close to midnight taking care of her employer’s five-month-old child, without overtime pay.
"Mahirap talaga buhay, ‘yong halos hindi ka na maka-afford ng living expenses tapos i-treat ka pa ng employer mo na para kang mawalan ng self-respect and dignity," Gil added.
She left after working in the Sagir household for only seven months.
"I felt so hopeless. Gusto mo magreklamo pero hindi ka makapagreklamo kasi sino tutulong sa ‘yo?" Gil asked.
Her revelation comes in the wake of a similar complaint by former domestic helper Marichu Baoanan against former Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja.
Baoanan accused Baja, his wife and daughter with 14 counts of exploitation and abuse in New York. Baja denies the charges, describing Baoanan’s charges as political harassment stemming from his friendship with former Speaker Jose de Venecia.
Abuse by diplomats may be rampant
But Gil alleges that the abuse of domestic helpers by diplomats is more rampant than most people think. "Marami ako natanong na mga Filipino na nagiging domestic workers din, mga 5 years, 10 years na sila nagtatrabaho para sa mga diplomat. Lahat pala sila, yung abnormal nagiging normal na sa isip nila."
"Sabi nila pag nagtrabaho ka sa diplomat, kaunti lang mare-receive mo, yung sobra hindi na ibibigay sa ‘yo kasi ganyan, hindi tayo pwede mag-reklamo, powerful ang mga iyan," Gil revealed.
She says winning back her unpaid wages and overtime was now secondary to taking up the cudgels to Filipino domestic workers who are too scared to come out.
"Naisip ko if I don’t fight, walang boses ang mga taong ito na nag-iisip ‘talagang dapat tayo magtiis’ pero ‘yong iba hindi makatiis, lumalayas, nagiging problema ngayon natin," she averred.
A US congressional study revealed that at least 42 persons who arrived on in the US on diplomats’ domestic workers visas reported some form of abuse at hands of their employers.
"The total number of alleged incidents since 2000 is likely higher for four reasons – household workers’ fear of contacting law enforcement, nongovernmental organizations’ protection of victim confidentiality, limited information on some cases handled by the US government, and federal agencies’ challenges identifying cases," the report said.
Lawyer Arnedo Valera, executive director of Virginia-based Migrant Heritage Commission, affirmed the report’s findings.
"Ang mas mahalaga dito hindi lang ‘yong demand ni Malou kasi batay sa information may mga parehong Filipino domestic workers under the A-visa (given to diplomats’ staff) na ganoon din kaya lang nga natatakot lumabas," he explained.
Malou said she has talked to at least 10 compatriots working as domestics for diplomats who admitted they were in similar straits. But she adds, "pero hindi pa kasama dito ‘yong kakilala ng kakilala nila."
There is no data on precisely how many Filipinos work in foreign embassies here, but they are sizeable partly because they’ve been able to network among themselves.
Malou, for instance, was able to work for her Israeli employer thanks to another Filipino who worked for one of the diplomats here.
"Nakita ko na widespread pala ito, kasi hindi lang sa embassy na ito, sa ibang embassy nangyayari rin ito. Sa mga nakausap ko, hindi lang sa dalawa o tatlong embassy, mas marami pa doon," she added.
The US has vowed to tighten the issuance of A-3 visas (employees of diplomatic officials and staff members) and G-5 visas (employees of officials of international organizations like the United Nations or World Bank) to help stop abuses against domestic helpers.
"Hindi lang ito isyu ng utang ng loob kasi minsan itong utang ng loob na Filipino value nagiging negative. It stifles your right to demand for your rights. Ang mahalaga sa atin, kung magtatrabaho ka sa labas ng Pilipinas dapat respetuhin ang dignity of labor, dapat respetuhin nila ang pagkatao mo bilang Filipino," Valera stressed.
In fairness, Gil said, there are diplomats here that treat their domestic workers fairly. "Mayroon naman na nagbibigay din ng tama," she said.
Valera said they are negotiating with lawyers of the Israeli diplomat, but added they won’t hesitate to file charges if Malou fails to get unpaid wages due her.
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