Lower placement fees to Israel to be finalized this week —OWWA


The Philippines and Israel are set to finalize this week an agreement that would effectively reduce placement fees for aspiring overseas Filipino workers.
In an interview aired on the Facebook account of Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said the agreements are set to be finalized in Israel during the president's visit to the Mideast country this week.
"Matagal nang problema diyan 'yung mataas na placement fee at ito, dahil don sa bagong agreement na 'to, maiibsan ito na hindi na kailangan magbayad pa o maiibsan 'yung pagbayad ng placement fees sa mga aplikante papunta sa Israel," explained Cacdac.
The interview was done ahead of the departure of President Rodrigo Duterte and several Cabinet members to Israel and Jordan which was announced by Malacañang in July.
Philippine Embassy officials in Israel in January said that while the minimum wage in Israel is biggest among its peers in the Middle East, caregivers coming to Israel still pay for "exorbitant" placement fees.
According to Cacdac, Filipino workers pay as much as $8,000 in placement fees for them to be able to secure employment opportunities in Israel.
"Aabutin ng isang taon o isa't kalahating taon bago nila mabawi 'yung kanilang sweldo o bago sila kumita, so hindi magandang sitwasyon 'yan," he said.
"Ngayon, maiibsan na po, masosolusyonan na, dahil sa Israel-Philippine agreement," he elaborated, but did not give out specific details on the arrangement.
In the same interview, Cacdac said the Philippine government continues to work with its counterpart in Jordan to ensure the safety of Filipino workers there.
Duterte and his team will be in Jordan from September 6 to 8, following the trip in Israel from September 2 to 5.
"Napakahalaga nito na itong Jordanian government, nagbibigay daan ngayon para tulungan 'yung mga OFW kasambahay lalo dito sa Jordan," he said.
Cacdac said there are some 30,000 Filipino caregivers in Israel, and some 45,000 Filipino household workers in Jordan. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/LBG, GMA News

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