Most overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong are not considering leaving the city in spite of plans by the Philippine government to implement a ban on sending workers due to ongoing unrest there.
Based on a report from South China Morning Post, 982 Filipino domestic helpers were asked about this in a survey conducted by HelperChoice, a platform for recruiting foreign workers in Hong Kong.
Some 97 percent of those who participated said they do not consider going back to the Philippines or relocating.
Majority or 52 percent said they are not worried about the protests, in spite of the recent arrest of a Filipino worker from Disneyland who was wearing a black shirt while passing by an area where protesters were rallying.
The other 45 percent said they were worried but that’s not enough to convince them to come home.
According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), from April to September 2018, some 6.3 percent or about 140,000 of the total 2.3 million OFWs are working in Hong Kong.
The survey also said 64 percent of those polled said their personal life has been affected by the protests especially during their day- off while the other 16 percent said it’s their daily work that has been disturbed.
The government has also advised workers not to wear black or white clothing, which may be associated with protesters or triad gangs.
Should the deployment ban be implemented by the Philippines, HelperChoice said it may have a “huge impact” there.
