Phl, S. Arabia sign new bilateral accord to protect maids

MANILA, Philippines - A new bilateral agreement was signed between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia to protect the rights and welfare of thousands of Filipino domestic helpers in that Middle East kingdom.

Speaking to reporters, Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday the new Standard Employment Contract (SEC) raised from $200 to $400 the minimum salary of domestic helpers in Saudi Arabia.

The agreement also covers other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), he added.

The presidential adviser on OFWs concerns said one of the most important provisions of the new SEC is the observance of “mutual respect and dignity” of workers.

“Aside from the standard $400 minimum salary, which may be increased to higher salary depending on the employer, the domestic helpers are also given a rest day each (week after a) number of working hours,” he said.

“To make sure that their salaries are religiously paid by their employer, their salaries will be paid through the bank.”

Binay said another important provision is that domestic helpers do not need to surrender their passports to their employers.

They will be allowed to have close contact with the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, he added.

Binay said the SEC is the result of bilateral negotiations between the governments of the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

“It contains stronger guarantees for the welfare and protection of households service workers working in Saudi Arabia, in addition to the strengthened policies and measures which the Department of Labor and Employment and its agencies, namely the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have set in place,” he said.

“I warmly welcome the decision of the Philippine and Saudi governments of a new SEC for Filipino household workers and the resumption of the verification and authentication of employment contracts of first-time HSWs which started on Oct. 1, 2012.”