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New rules on hiring Filipino house workers
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Posted on Dec 08 2006
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration recently approved new policies on the hiring and deployment of Filipino household workers abroad, as a means to protect their welfare and interests.
According to Philippine Consul General Wilfredo DL. Maximo, the new rules would affect household Filipino workers, including caregivers, caretakers and low or semi-skilled female workers.
Under the new policies, only those age 25 or older, regardless of gender, who possesses a National Certificate for HSWs issued by the Philippine Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and a Country-specific Language and Culture Certificate of Competence or Certificate of Attendance issued by the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration could be deployed as household workers abroad.
“Employment documents of [household workers] would still undergo verification with Philippine Overseas Labor Offices and authentication with the Philippine Embassies and Consulates Generals,” according to a statement from the Philippine Consulate General yesterday.
As part of the verification process, foreign employers who are hiring their own household workers through placement agencies in the Philippines or as direct hires must personally appear at POLO for an interview. They will be required to submit a written undertaking in a form prescribed by the POEA that is available at POLO; an accomplished information sheet; police clearance; a valid ID; and other documents. The minimum salary is now pegged at $400.
The Consulate said foreign placement agencies would undergo prequalification by POLO.
Maximo said the new policies would take effect on Dec. 16 and would cover not only the CNMI but all destination countries of Filipino household workers.
“The CNMI Department of Labor has been earlier advised of this development and their assistance has been requested in disseminating this information to prospective CNMI employers desiring to hire [Filipino household workers],” said Maximo.
Based on 2005 CNMI Labor Office figures, about 11 percent or 1,670 Filipinos in the Commonwealth work in a household setting.
For more information, contact the Philippine Consulate Office at 234-1848 or 234-1850.
