PHL maid deployment down by 20%, says POEA
The Philippines had deployed fewer household service workers (HSWs) overseas this year compared to last, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) said.
Based on POEA data, the deployment of HSWs for the first five months of 2015 went down by 20 percent, or from 70,034 to 55,961, compared to the same period last year.
POEA chief Hans Leo Cacdac said this was because of the stricter processing of job orders for new applicants and policies being implemented to recruitment agencies.
“Hinihigpitan ngayon ng mga labor attaches to make sure na mga disente [at] legally compliant employers ang makakapag-recruit ng domestic helpers,” he said.
He said the decrease should not be construed as a negative development as it was a result of the government's effort to combat illegal recruitment and steer Filipino maids away from abusive employers.
Cacdac, meanwhile, urged prospective overseas Filipino workers to try looking for jobs in the country first. “We're looking at an improving situation here in our country that could open more doors for our people,” he said.
But for Syoti Dado, who is set to return to Hong kong to work as a domestic helper, it is virtually impossible to work in the Philippines and have a decent salary.
"Nag-aaply ako para dito na lang ako, para hindi na mag-abroad, para kasama mga anak ko, kaso walang tumatanggap sa akin kasi overaged na raw ako at wala akong experience sa trabaho dito kasi hanggang bahay lang daw ako kaya wala akong magawa kundi bumalik na lang ng abroad," she said.
Placement fees
Meanwhile, Migrante International called on the government to strictly impose its policies in prohibiting recruitment agencies from collecting placement or any other fees for newly hired OFWs working as domestic helpers.
“Sa patuloy na paglabag ng mga private recruitment agencies sa paniningil ng placement fees sa mga migranteng Pilipino, walang ginagawang sapat na hakbang ang pamahalaan upang sila ay maparusahan,” said Sol Pillas, Migrante's secretary general.
Marites Bucatan, a HSW in Hong Kong, said she paid over P100,000 to a recruitment agency in Manila just so she could leave and start working abroad.
According to the POEA, recruitment agencies are not allowed to collect any fees from applicants.
“There are still reported violations... domestic workers charged from P60,000 to P80,000. We have already penalized the recruitment agencies involved, kaya lang siyempre we're not saying na hindi nangyayari iyong mga violations,” he said.
The Society of Hong Kong Accredited Recruiters in the Philippines (SHARP), an association of recruitment agencies that send Filipino workers to Hong Kong, said it supports the government's “no placement fee” policy.
SHARP president Alfredo Palmiery, however, admitted that some recruitment agencies in the Philippines and in Hong Kong continue to violate this policy. —KBK, GMA News
Based on POEA data, the deployment of HSWs for the first five months of 2015 went down by 20 percent, or from 70,034 to 55,961, compared to the same period last year.
POEA chief Hans Leo Cacdac said this was because of the stricter processing of job orders for new applicants and policies being implemented to recruitment agencies.
“Hinihigpitan ngayon ng mga labor attaches to make sure na mga disente [at] legally compliant employers ang makakapag-recruit ng domestic helpers,” he said.
He said the decrease should not be construed as a negative development as it was a result of the government's effort to combat illegal recruitment and steer Filipino maids away from abusive employers.
Cacdac, meanwhile, urged prospective overseas Filipino workers to try looking for jobs in the country first. “We're looking at an improving situation here in our country that could open more doors for our people,” he said.
But for Syoti Dado, who is set to return to Hong kong to work as a domestic helper, it is virtually impossible to work in the Philippines and have a decent salary.
"Nag-aaply ako para dito na lang ako, para hindi na mag-abroad, para kasama mga anak ko, kaso walang tumatanggap sa akin kasi overaged na raw ako at wala akong experience sa trabaho dito kasi hanggang bahay lang daw ako kaya wala akong magawa kundi bumalik na lang ng abroad," she said.
Placement fees
Meanwhile, Migrante International called on the government to strictly impose its policies in prohibiting recruitment agencies from collecting placement or any other fees for newly hired OFWs working as domestic helpers.
“Sa patuloy na paglabag ng mga private recruitment agencies sa paniningil ng placement fees sa mga migranteng Pilipino, walang ginagawang sapat na hakbang ang pamahalaan upang sila ay maparusahan,” said Sol Pillas, Migrante's secretary general.
Marites Bucatan, a HSW in Hong Kong, said she paid over P100,000 to a recruitment agency in Manila just so she could leave and start working abroad.
According to the POEA, recruitment agencies are not allowed to collect any fees from applicants.
“There are still reported violations... domestic workers charged from P60,000 to P80,000. We have already penalized the recruitment agencies involved, kaya lang siyempre we're not saying na hindi nangyayari iyong mga violations,” he said.
The Society of Hong Kong Accredited Recruiters in the Philippines (SHARP), an association of recruitment agencies that send Filipino workers to Hong Kong, said it supports the government's “no placement fee” policy.
SHARP president Alfredo Palmiery, however, admitted that some recruitment agencies in the Philippines and in Hong Kong continue to violate this policy. —KBK, GMA News
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