The United Arab Emirates and the Philippines are working together to improve their human resources collaboration and strengthen domestic worker protection. This was stated in a press release by the Migrant Workers Office in Dubai and the Northern Emirates on August 15, 2024, which detailed the focus of the fourth meeting of the Joint Technical Committee on Workforce and Domestic Workers, which took place in July 2024.
The discussion encompassed the improvement of labor agreements, enhancement of the rights and protections of domestic workers, and the fostering of better work conditions, all for the benefit of Overseas Filipino workers.
The meeting was led by H.E. Shayma Al Awadhi, Assistant Undersecretary for Communication and International Relations at UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), and H.E. Felicitas Q. Bay, Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Services at the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
High-ranking officials in attendance included H.E. Abdulla Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary for Domestic Work Affairs at MoHRE; H.E. Alfonso Ferdinand Ver, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE; Mardomel Melicor, Assistant Secretary for Middle Eastern and African Affairs at the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs; and Mario T. Zinampan, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Cooperation at the DMW, along with other key representatives from both nations.
