61 Filipino hotel workers head to Israel

By GISELLE OMBAY, GMA News The first batch of 61 Filipino hotel workers that the Philippine government was supposed to deploy in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, is expected to arrive in Israel this Thursday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said. According to the DMW, the arrival of 61 OFWs in the Holy Land this June 2 is part of the initial 500 Filipino workers that were supposed to be sent to Israel in 2020. “As Israel reopens its tourism industry, the Department of Migrant Workers is looking forward to sending more qualified workers to supplement its growing demand in the hospitality sector, while making sure that the best terms and condition for our OFWs are being met,” DMW Secretary Abdullah Mama-o said in a statement. He noted that the deployment is part of the existing bilateral labor agreement between the Philippines and Israel signed in 2018, which allows strengthened protection and employment opportunities to Filipino hotel workers. It also protects OFWs from paying excessive fees to private agencies because their hiring and deployment is under the government-to-government scheme. DMW pointed out that OFWs deployed to to work in Israel could earn a minimum salary of 5300 NIS or around P75,000 per month, with benefits including medical insurance and foreign workers deposit funds from their own employers. Likewise, the agency said that it aims to recruit more Filipino hotel workers as Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority sets its eyes on recruiting more workers to supplement its growing hospitality industry. Israel earlier announced it can accommodate 2,000 home-based caregivers who could earn at least P77,000 per month. Israel Ambassador Ilan Fluss said the Israel government prefers Filipino workers because they are hardworking. “There is a lot of appreciation for the Filipino workers in Israel and hardworking, very loyal, and as you know caregiver is a very sensitive area in taking care of people,” he said. —LBG, GMA News

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