Gov’t eases hiring rules for OFWs

MANILA, Philippines - More Filipino workers are likely to be hired abroad with the government’s plan to ease overseas employment regulations.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will be coming out with the new policy on hiring of Filipino workers.

“The POEA is now undertaking a review of the existing regulations in order to come out with a new one and we are looking at lesser regulation for skilled and professional workers,” Baldoz said.

She explained that the POEA needs to come out with a new regulation that would conform with Republic Act 10022, or the Amended Migrant Workers Act.

The new law was enacted a few years ago in an effort to improve the standard of protection and promotion of welfare of overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs).

Under the new law, the Philippine government would only allow deployment to countries that could ensure safety and welfare of OFWs.

The new law also mandates deployment only to countries with existing bilateral agreements with the Philippine government and countries with necessary certification from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

There are 180 certified countries that are considered compliant with the requirements of the new law, while 15 are classified as “unsafe destination” and therefore banned from hiring OFWs.

Baldoz stressed that existing POEA regulations are yet to be adjusted with the newly amended Migrant Workers Act.

She also noted that the new policy being drafted by the POEA would also reduce the number of private recruitment agencies.

“There are more than a thousand recruitment agencies at this time and we have to reduce their number,” Baldoz said, adding that the number is likely to be trimmed based on the market or host countries.