After Kuwait, The Philippines Might Impose a Deployment Ban in Saudi Arabia

Upon hearing and reading news about Overseas Filipino Workers maltreated and abused by their employers in Saudi Arabia, several people are now calling out the government. After the strict imposing of the employment ban in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia may be the next country to experience the barring from hiring OFWs.

Possible Deployment Ban

During an interview, Department of Labor and Development Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that the government will not hesitate to ban the deployment of Pinoy workers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia if the Saudi government fails to stop the practices of employers selling their domestic workers to other Arab families.

It is a common malpractice of Arab employers of transferring their Filipino workers to another employer and I am sure it is always for a consideration.

According to the Labor secretary, it’s his first time to hear reports on trading of foreign domestic workers, depending on who the highest bidder is.

We will impose the same restriction even in Saudi because the minimum demand of the President is that we will deploy only in countries where our workers are properly and effectively protected.

A Team to Check the Conditions of OFWs

A team of Philippine labor officials is now visiting several countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, to check the conditions of the Filipino workers there. This team will also make the recommendation to ensure that our OFWs are in their best working conditions. Other than the possibility of banning the deployment of OFWs, the government may also seek revision of the existing bilateral agreements to provide more protection for our OFWs.

Although it is not confirmed yet, Secretary Bello said that the slain domestic helper, Joanna Demafelis, was allegedly sold by her first employer. According to the Labor secretary, the government wants to stop the transfer of Filipino domestic workers from one employer to another with the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the government of Kuwait. However, even with the signing of the new agreement, Bello said that he may still recommend the permanent ban on the deployment of OFWs to the country due to the increasing number of maltreatment and abuse committed against Filipino domestic workers.