The Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has denied reports of termination of COVID positive Filipinos in Hong Kong.
Earlier a report said that some 70 domestic helpers in Hong Kong were homeless and sick as it cited data by a coalition of 14 NGOs for migrant workers.
RELATED STORY: PH mulls to blacklist Hong Kong employers who illegally fired OFWs
However, in an interview with ANC, Bello said these claims were false.
“All of our OFWs in Hong Kong are in very good condition. The news about our OFWs being positive and terminated are not true. In our country, we do not dismiss workers because of COVID, much more in Hong Kong.
Those who tested positive were brought to facilities “where they will be properly treated,” Bello said.
READ ON: OWWA: COVID-19 positive OFWs in Hong Kong rise to 76
He said that in Hong Kong employers who will fire workers due to COVID will have to pay a fine of HK$300,000 noting that in terms of jobs in the Philippines the country could revert to pre-pandemic employment numbers in 6 to 8 months if the Alert Level 1 is imposed and maintained.
A February survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed there were 3.27 million jobless Filipinos as unemployment rose 6.6 per cent.
