The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai, have released advisories informing the public that the minimum age for Filipinos to apply and work abroad as a domestic worker has been increased to 24 years old starting on Wednesday, July 14.
The increase in the deployment age of domestic worker is in line with Republic Act (RA) No. 11862 or Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022 where it is stated that “in the case of overseas domestic worker, a ‘child’ means a person below twenty-four (24) years old.”
The previous allowable age for deployment is twenty-three (23).
The law which is an amendment of the “Anti-Trafficking Persons Act of 2003” also classifies producing, printing, and issuing or distributing unissued, tampered, or fake passports and birth certificates as acts that promote trafficking in persons.
It also protect Filipinos from “internet intermediaries” and hold anyone who “knowingly or by gross negligence allow their internet infrastructure to be used for the purpose of promoting trafficking in persons” accountable.
“Any person who has personal knowledge of the commission of any offense under this Act, such as the trafficked person, the parents, spouse, siblings, children, legal guardian, officer or social worker or representative of a licensed child-caring institution, officer, or social worker of the DSWD, Philippine National Police or National Bureau of Investigation, officers, barangay chairperson, or at least three concerned citizens where the violation occurred, may file a complaint under this Act,” according to RA 11862.
Previously, only those who have “personal knowledge of the commission of any offense under the act, the trafficked person, the parents, spouse, siblings, children, or legal guardian” may file a complaint for trafficking.
