The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is currently conducting an investigation on ‘maid trades’ of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) in Saudi Arabia.
“Philippine household workers have reported that certain families and employees are in the habit of trading household service help among families,” DFA Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said Thursday.
“From our side, an audit is being made and we are also taking guidance from the President’s statement that the primary consideration is the welfare and safety of OFWs and this has priority over economic gains,” he added.
DFA also reported that in 2017, more than 6,000 cases of abuse were reported under the kafala system, a practice in Saudi Arabia where the employers virtually own the HSWs.
Abella also said that the senior team sent abroad is currently working with Kuwait and other Middle East countries that rights of OFWs are protected.
Abella clarified that the deployment ban would not be lifted anytime soon as it is seen effective in securing deals with other countries.
“The deployment ban, which may or may not be permanent, thus creates for us an opening for fruitful negotiations,” he explained.
