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PANUORIN: POEA optimistic about PH-UAE Labor accord on hiring of domestic helps

DUBAI: Philippine Overseas Administrator Bernard Olalia said the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) is responsive to a proposal to include provisions in the UAE’s unified labor contract that would ensure the welfare of household service workers (HSWs).

“Meron po silang tinatawag na unified contract. Duon sa unified contract nila wala po yung mga (proposals),” Olalia told a town hall meeting held Feb. 11 at the Rizal Hall of the Philippine Consulate.

“Kaya po sa pag-uusap naming, nilinaw po ni (Philippine Labor) Secretary (Silvestre Bello III) yun pong mga probisyong na yun na dapat ipaloob sa tinatawag nating standard employment contract at mukhang sinang-ayunan po nila.

“Dahil sabi nila, pwedeng ilagay iyun sa isang instrument. So, ibig sabihin mag-uusap po kami kung anong mekanismo ang gagawin upang ipaloob lahat po yung minimum labor standards na iyun sa employment contract,” Olalia explained at the meeting which was also attended by Bello himself.

(They have what is called a unified contract under which the proposals we have are not included. So, during discussions with them, Secretary Bello clarified that those provisions should in. And it looked like they agree because they said it can be incorporated as an instrument. We will sit down and discuss mechanisms to have this done.)

The town hall meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual three-day World Government Summit (WGS) held at the Madinat Jumeirah, Feb. 10 to 12, and attended by over 4,000 decision-makers from 140 countries – including heads of state, ministers and business leaders. The WGs is a global platform dedicated to shaping the future of governments worldwide.

Among those present at the town hall meeting were Ambassador Hjayceelyn Quintana, who travelled to Dubai from her embassy office in Abu Dhabi to attend; Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes and spouse, Dr. Yasmin Balajadia-Cortes; Deputy Consul General Renato N. Dueñas, Jr., Consul Beth Ramos and Labor Attachés Felicitas Bay and Alejandro Padaen, among others.

The MOHRE is the UAE counterpart of the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Staff Report

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