Migrant workers urge Philippines, Indonesia to ban HK lawmakers over ‘racist’ remarks

MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of migrant worker associations in Hong Kong is calling on the Philippines and Indonesia to declare two Hong Kong lawmakers “persona non grata” following their respective remarks showing “slave-master mentality.”

Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body (AMCB-IMA) said Hong Kong Legislative Council member Elizabeth Quat described migrant domestic workers as “products” who do not match their “description,” which the coalition took as objectification of overseas workers. 

The coalition also called out Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Frankie Ngan for his proposals, including a plan to stop migrant domestic workers from job-hopping. Ngan also proposed to cut their two-week grace period to only give them a seven-day allowance to find new employers and get an updated work visa after the termination of a contract. 

“We call on the Philippine and Indonesian governments to declare Ms. Quat and Mr. Ngan as ‘persona non grata’ (unwelcome/unacceptable persons),” AMCB-IMA spokesperson Dolores Balladares-Perez said in a statement dated February 19. 

“Dispute their claims and protect your nationals. Don’t just watch silently as your constituents’ dignity as people and as workers are being attacked,” she added. 

Latest reports show there are currently around 330,000 foreign domestic helpers employed in Hong Kong, 57% or 190,000 of whom are Filipinos. Indonesians also make up for a large number of foreign domestic helpers there. 

Prior to the pandemic, the total number of migrant domestic helpers in Hong Kong stood at around 400,000. Their working conditions amid the pandemic made headlines as some overseas Filipino workers deployed there were fired after testing positive for COVID-19. 

Labor officials there told Philippine authorities that they were able to convince most Hong Kong employers to rehire foreign domestic workers who were previously laid off for contracting the virus.

RELATED: Virus wave deepens grim conditions for Hong Kong domestic workers | OWWA: Some Hong Kong domestic workers fired over COVID-19 have been rehired

Calling out claims

The AMCB-IMA also refuted claims that migrant domestic workers exploit and abuse their own employers. The coalition called out the two lawmakers for supposedly using migrant workers to advance their respective political careers. 

“Ms. Quat and her fellow lawmaker [Mr. Ngan] are playing ignorant to the fact that migrant domestic workers are one of the most abused and exploited working people in Hong Kong,” Balladares-Perez said.

“These are well-documented facts and cases that Ms. Quat and Mr. Ngan can easily verify by simply checking on annual reports of NGOs assisting migrant workers.” 

Meanwhile, AMCB-IMA dispelled claims that foreign domestic helpers go “job-hopping,” citing the “two-week rule” that requires those who terminated their contracts prematurely will be required to leave Hong Kong within 14 days.

Those who terminate their contracts early are also required to pay their respective employment agencies a fine, among other restrictions, which the AMCB-IMA said are just among the few reasons why it would not be practical for a foreign worker to consider job-hopping.

“But even for the sake of argument, a migrant worker decides to job-hop, what is wrong with it? Isn’t the right to terminate the contract accorded to both employers and workers under the Labor Ordinance?” Balladares-Perez said.