RP fails to inform Jordan of deployment ban

Jordanian labor ministry officials said Wednesday that the Philippine government did not inform them of the decision to ban the deployment of Filipino domestic workers to Jordan. The Philippine government imposed the ban on Monday after receiving reports of rising cases of mistreatment and abuse of domestic helpers by Jordanian employers. A report by the Jordan Times said that Labor ministry secretary general Majed Habashneh met with Philippine ambassador to Jordan on Wednesday to discuss the issue on abuse that resulted in dozens of Filipino workers seeking refuge at the embassy. In that meeting, ministry officials reminded the Philippine ambassador of the importance of coordination in addressing the workers’ complaints in a way that is beneficial to all parties involved, the report said. The report quoted Habashneh as saying, "We also briefed the ambassador on the Jordanian domestic helper recruitment agency and the Jordanian employers." The Philippine ambassador expressed his understanding and willingness to work for a compromise in the interest of all parties, the report added. According to Habashneh, a Philippine embassy official approached the labor ministry on December 9, 2007 to seek help on the request to waive fines for around 100 Filipino domestic helpers who violated residency regulations. Erring Pinoy workers were to be sent home at the expense of the embassy. The ministry turned down the embassy’s request because it could harm the interests of local recruitment agencies with which the workers were bound by a two-year contract, Habashneh said. A panel composed of representatives from all parties had been formed to sort out and examine the workers’ complaints, the labor official said. The panel was able to wrap up 70 cases with 30 cases still under review. After reviewing some of the cases, the labor ministry suggested that Filipino domestic helpers be given orientation and awareness seminars on Jordanian culture before they are brought into the Kingdom. An official of the Domestic Helpers Agencies Association (DHAA) said that most common complaints of the workers were ill-treatment and work overload. But the DHAA believed that the real reason why the helpers wanted to leave their employers were homesickness and cultural differences between Jordan and the Philippines. The group said that since early 2007, a total of 200 Filipino domestic helpers, on several occasions, sought refuge at their embassy, and that majority them had been working in Jordan for less than a year. Meanwhile, GMANews.TV reported Wednesday that Philippine Labor Secretary Arturo Brion ordered temporary suspension of the deployment of domestic helpers after noting that about 120 to 150 Filipino workers have sought refuge at the workers resource center in Amman, Jordan, due to labor problems. Cases of abuse range from non-payment of wages, maltreatment to rape, the resource center in Amman noted. The deployment ban only covers the new hires and not returning workers who don’t have problems with their employers. In 1990, the Philippines also imposed a deployment ban to Jordan due to high cases of maltreatment and exploitation committed by Jordanian employers. However, in 2005, the labor department ordered the lifting of the ban with the opening of a Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Amman and the implementation of a “special work contract" which provides liberal welfare provisions to foreign household service workers. The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration are preparing for the possible repatriation of the 120 to 150 distressed OFWs in Jordan. - GMANews.TV