DOLE's job portal offers opportunities for domestic helpers

The Department of Labor and Employment on Saturday urged household service workers who may be affected by a new labor policy in Saudi Arabia to find opportunities through the government’s job portal. In a news release, the DOLE said its regional directors are spreading the words about the Phil-Jobnet to help the affected HSWs. According to DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment director Maria Criselda Sy, the job portal showed that housemaid and domestic helpers are in demand in Romania, Singapore, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates. From June 28 to July 5, Sy said there are some 841 vacancies for HSWs, including 500 for housemaids and 341 for domestic helpers. These employment opportunities are a small fraction of the 54,226 vacancies of all kinds posted on the online facility, she added. “The opportunities for housemaids and [domestic helpers] currently in the system are matched correspondingly with the ‘skills-for-hire’ posted by jobseekers desiring to land jobs in the housemaid, houseboy, and housekeeper categories of local jobs," the DOLE noted. Alternative Earlier, Baldoz also advised HSWs who might be affected by the Saudi ban to stay in the country and avail of local job opportunities as well as of entrepreneurial undertakings. Baldoz said government will help them through its national reintegration programs, such as the “Balik Pinay, Balik Hanapbuhay" Project. She said they can also avail of no-collateral, low-interest, longer repayment business loans from the Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. — JE, GMA News