Philippines won’t hesitate to impose Saudi Arabia OFW deployment ban
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the government will not hesitate to ban the deployment of OFWs to the kingdom if the Saudi government fails to stop the practice of employers selling their Filipino domestic workers to other Arab employers. File
MANILA, Philippines — Saudi Arabia may be the next country to be barred from hiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the government will not hesitate to ban the deployment of OFWs to the kingdom if the Saudi government fails to stop the practice of employers selling their Filipino domestic workers to other Arab employers.
“It is a common malpractice of Arab employers of transferring their Filipino workers to another employer and I am sure it is always for a consideration,” Bello said.
But Bello said it was the first time that he heard reports on trading of foreign domestic workers depending on the highest bidder.
“We will impose the same restriction even in Saudi because the minimum demand of the President is that we will deploy only in countries where our workers are properly and effectively protected,” he added.
Bello said a team of Philippine labor officials is now visiting countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, to check on the condition of OFWs there.
The team will make the recommendation to ensure protection of Filipino workers, including the possibility of banning the deployment of OFWs. The government may also seek revision of existing bilateral agreements to provide more protection to OFWs, Bello added.
Although it is yet to be confirmed, Bello said slain Filipina domestic helper Joanna Demafelis was allegedly sold by her first employer.
The body of Demafelis was found in a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait City. The Philippine government imposed a total deployment ban to Kuwait afterwards.
Bello said the Philippine government aims to stop the transfer of Filipino domestic workers from one employer to another with the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Kuwaiti government.
A team of Kuwaiti officials will come to the Philippines in the first week of March to discuss with Philippine officials the signing of the new agreement providing protection for OFWs in the Arab country.
Bello said the Kuwaiti government has expressed its intention to submit a counter proposal.
“I have not seen their counter proposal. But whatever the name is, what is important is the provision that will provide maximum and optimum protection for our OFWs. That is non-negotiable,” he added.
Even with the signing of the new agreement, Bello said he may still recommend the permanent ban on the deployment of domestic workers to Kuwait due to rampant cases of maltreatement and abuses committed against OFWs.
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