Help stop illegal fees, labor exec urges OFWs

DAISY C.L. MANDAP, The Sun-HK

HONG KONG - Labor Attache Romulo Salud is calling on members of the community to help him come up with a solution to stop the collection of illegal fees by recruiters of Filipino domestic helpers here.

"One group came up to me and presented a list of employment agencies that are supposedly charging our OFWs illegal or excessive placement fees," said Labatt Salud. "But hindi naman puwedeng motu propio ay magpapa-cancel ako ng accreditation nila."

Salud's call came as Labor Secretary Arturo Brion urged Filipinos working as domestic workers overseas to report agencies or individuals charging them placement fees.

Since Dec. 16 last year, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency has outlawed the collection of placement fees for Filipino domestic workers. Despite this, workers and migrant support organizations say it has been "business as usual" for the agencies, meaning, the collection of placement fees has continued.

In Hong Kong, a group of non-government organizations reported recently that workers still pay recruitment fees of up to Php90,000 each time, while the HK-based brokers get far more than the 10% commission allowed them by law from the maid's first salary.

But according to Labatt Salud, in many of such cases his hands are tied because the reported payoff happened in Manila. By the time the Filipino helper arrived in Hong Kong, it was already what one might call "fait accompli."

He also laments what he says is the apparent willingness of many Filipino workers to pay a placement fee, even if they know that it is not allowed under the POEA guidelines.

"Kung ang isang manggagawa ay hindi magbabayad, mapipilitan ang agency na sa employer maningil," he said.

In some recent cases, he says Filipino workers even offered to shoulder the fees that the employer is supposed to pay just so they could help a relative or a friend join them here.

"If we can just get together and say, `walang magbabayad,' then maybe this problem would not arise," said Salud.

He said all possible help he could get from the community because "mag-isa lang ako at kailangan ko ng tulong para matigil ang ganitong problema.

In the meantime, Salud has been tightening the noose on employment agencies that appear to treat Filipino workers like commodities.

Acting on a complaint, he recently took an agency to task for putting out an advertising offering a replacement for helpers it recruits at no extra cost to the employer.

Most recently, Salud ordered an agency in North Point to take down a sign promising a "lifetime guarantee" for its recruits. - The Sun, HK

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