HK decides not to cut maids’ pay

The Hong Kong government bowed yesterday to pressure from the Philippines and Indonesia and announced it would not push through with its planned salary cut for foreign domestic helpers.

A spokesman for the special administrative region said the minimum monthly pay of HK$3,670 (US$470) would be retained subject to further review if economic conditions continued to deteriorate.

"In view of the uncertainty surrounding local economic and employment situation, we shall assess whether a further review will be required when up-to-date data, which reflect more recent economic trends, are available," he said.

The Hong Kong government spent the previous month considering proposals to cut the minimum wage by as much as 20 percent in view of rising unemployment and falling or frozen wages in other sectors.

Hong Kong employers were not quite happy with the decision and called it "unfair."

In Manila, Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona Jr. hailed the decision, saying it was a "triumph of democracy and righteousness."

Guingona attributed the decision to efforts exerted by President Arroyo, Congress and the Cabinet and the Filipino community in Hong Kong which vigorously opposed the planned slash in their monthly pay through peaceful rallies and demonstrations.

Guingona also cited Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa for his "political leadership and objectivity" in deciding against the pay cut.

"His government’s response today can only strengthen our bilateral relationship. More importantly, we salute Filipino and foreign residents in Hong Kong who have supported the campaign of our Philippine Consulate General and the 150,000-strong Filipino community in Hong Kong to avert the reduction in the minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers," Guingona said.

Hong Kong’s secretary for education and manpower Fanny Law relayed the SAR decision to Philippine Consul General Zenaida Collinson.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas quoted Law as saying there were signs of economic recovery in Hong Kong and the United States, hence there is no reason to reduce the salaries of domestic helpers.

Collinson made strong representations with SAR against the planned salary cut. She was joined by her counterparts from Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal in requesting the SAR to set aside the plan.

The four envoys whose nationals comprised 99 percent of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong, expressed deep concern about the possible reduction in the salaries of their countrymen.

They asserted that the pay reduction was "neither an appropriate measure nor an effective solution to address current economic difficulties facing Hong Kong."

A total of 233,110 foreign domestic helpers are employed in the territory with Filipinos accounting for about 67 percent or 155,330. Indonesians number 66,970, Thais 6,940 and other nationals 3,870.

Meanwhile, Filipinos and other foreigners who illegally entered the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have three months to legalize their stay in the country to avoid deportation.

Ambassador to Abu Dhabi Amable Aguiluz III said the UAE Federal National Council is set to announce the three-month amnesty within which undocumented aliens can legalize their stay by securing a work permit and have a chance to look for better jobs.

Overstaying foreigners who refused to avail of the amnesty will have to leave the country under pain of severe punishment.

The ministry of the interior said illegal entrants who decide to leave the UAE before the amnesty expires may be allowed to return without fine or penalty.

Minister of Interior Lt. Gen. Mohammed Saeed Al Badi was quoted as saying the decision was made following reports about an increasing number of illegal entrants and workers since 1996.

In 1996, the UAE government also implemented an amnesty for illegal aliens.

DFA records showed that there were some 120,600 Filipino workers in the UAE, the majority of whom are fully documented and covered by country’s federal laws.

The UAE along with the Gulf Coordinating Council decided last December to limit the hiring of foreign nationals and encourage the employment of local workers. — With Mayen Jaymalin