(Manila, 29th) The Philippine government and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have committed to further strengthen the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially the approximately 40,000 Filipino domestic helpers currently employed in Jordan.
The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) stated on Thursday night that Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac and Jordanian Labor Minister Khaled Mahmoud Abu Kar had, during a ministerial meeting, promoted the 'Enhanced Filipino Domestic Helpers Reform Program' and proposed a series of key measures.
These include raising the minimum wage from $400 to at least $500 per month; implementing a 'Know Your Employer' mandatory procedure before deployment; establishing a digital welfare monitoring system; carrying out annual health checks; imposing stricter whitelist policies to ensure ethical recruitment; and strengthening support services for Filipino domestic helpers.
Cacdac emphasized that these reforms reflect the government's commitment to decent work, ethical recruitment, and a sound welfare mechanism, in line with President Marcos Jr.'s directives to defend the rights of overseas workers.
Jordan's Labor Minister Abu Kar welcomed these efforts and stressed that Jordan will closely cooperate with the Philippines to jointly safeguard the dignity and well-being of migrant workers.
The two sides also signed a 'Joint Statement on Labor Cooperation,' reviewed the 'Memorandum of Understanding on Labor Cooperation' signed in 2018, and the 'Cooperation Framework on Domestic Helper Employment.'
The measures adopted after this review include revising employment contracts for Filipino domestic helpers to guarantee rest days, reasonable salaries, annual leave, and sufficient meals; prohibiting the confiscation of passports to protect workers' rights to hold personal documents; establishing completion-of-service compensation for Filipino domestic helpers; creating a joint database to track worker deployment, contracts, and transfers; and evaluating hotel employee pay systems.
In addition, both sides discussed assisting workers in addressing immigration-related issues, including regularization of undocumented workers, handling penalties for overstaying, and situations such as failure to renew residence permits or work permits.
Jordanian Labor Ministry Secretary-General Dujan pointed out that this meeting is an important step in promoting bilateral cooperation and implementing international labor standards. The meeting ultimately reaffirmed both countries' commitment to promoting ethical recruitment, fair migration, and decent work, as well as to jointly combating human trafficking, addressing illegal migration, and creating safer and more dignified labor mobility.
Philippine DMW Undersecretary Rasul emphasized that the passing of the 'Joint Statement' also marks the beginning of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Jordan next year.