HK recruiters to come out with re-hiring program

Both private and government sectors are laying down contingency measures in case Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong are terminated by their employers as a backlash of the Aug. 23 hostage incident in Manila that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead. Although there have been no reports of termination yet, Society of Hong Kong Accredited Recruiters of the Philippines (SHARP) president Alfredo Palmiery has requested their counterparts in Hong Kong to help facilitate the re-hiring process for any worker whose contract is pre-terminated by his or her employers. SHARP will also request the assistance of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to instruct Labor Attache Romeo Salud to put up a help desk that domestic workers in need of assistance may approach. At a press conference Tuesday, board member Claro Genio gave his assurance that SHARP is prepared to deal with any crisis that may arise out of the hostage incident. He emphasized that they have received no reports of termination due to the incident, but it is their duty to take the necessary steps to ensure that domestic workers in Hong Kong are taken care of. "So far, wala kaming natatanggap na report ng termination. In case na meron, for any reason, hahanapan agad ng trabaho, with no fee at all. This is a service," Genio said. Domestic workers whose contracts are terminated may stay at a halfway house in Macau while waiting to be re-hired. Meanwhile, SHARP director Julie Cabasa said that while they have not received any reports of discrimination against or termination of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong, applicants in Manila have been uneasy. "They call us up and ask us, hindi ba nakakatakot?" she said, adding that there have only been hesitations, but no withdrawals of applications. Genio said should applicants have any doubts, they should wait and see since the recruiters will be waiting for them. Cabasa told reporters that their Hong Kong principal is still willing to accept domestic workers from the Philippines. Asked if she thought Indonesia and Vietnam would overtake the Philippines in terms of domestic workers hired in Hong Kong, Cabasa was confident that Filipinos will remain in demand. "Magaling ang workers natin, malinis, maganda ang communication skills (Our workers are very good. They have excellent communication skills)," said Cabasa. Records from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) showed Hong Kong is the third top destination for land-based overseas Filipino workers, with over 100,000 OFWs in 2009. Over 24,000 domestic workers were likewise deployed in Hong Kong in 2009, which is almost a third of the total number of Filipino domestic workers worldwide for the same year. "Pinoy pa rin ang bida (Filipinos are still the best)," said Genio. — RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV