PH to Ask HK to Relax Two-Week Rule for Foreign Domestic Helpers
April 5, 2016
RANKING Filipino labor officials will visit Hong Kong later this month to ask the government to relax the “two-week rule” for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs), Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre said.
Dela Torre said the agenda of Labor Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac also includes trying to find a new shelter for abused Filipino domestic helpers.
“May mga pending issues (like yung) 14-day (rule), we would like the Hong Kong government to look into the possibility of relaxing it or extending it,” Dela Torre said in an interview.
The 14-day rule requires foreign domestic helpers who were terminated or who finished their contract to leave Hong Kong if they cannot find a new employer within that period.
Migrant groups have urged the Hong Kong government to scrap the two-week rule, saying it enables the abuse of FDHs.
“We’re also looking at negotiating for the use of empty government buildings that we can use as a shelter because yung shelter natin flat lang kasi. So, limitado ang ating occupants. May 14 or 16 lang ang makakaya. It’s not enough,” Dela Torre said.
The delegation from Manila will visit Hong Kong as part of the two government’s agreement last year to hold regular high-level talks on how to improve the lot of Filipino domestic helpers in HK.
“We also would like to have better co-operation in terms of prosecution of erring agencies. May agencies licensed nila pero hindi accredited sa atin so yan ang problema,” Dela Torre said.
He said a technical working group composed of consulate officials and Hong Kong labor officials also meet quarterly to sort out any problem that arises.
Dela Torre said that the Philippine Overseas Labor Office also plans to revive a program that trained Filipino community leaders in documenting the abuses against FDHs.
“Makakatulong din sana yung mga Filcom leaders natin kasi minsan pagdating sa Labor Tribunal, hindi maganda ang documentation. Natatalo. So, I’m thinking of reinstalling yung former program dito 17 years ago na paralegal training for Filcom leaders,” he said.
“We will train them on how to advice, give counseling, how to document, how to substantiate claims against employers and against agencies,” he added.
Dela Torre said the POLO would check if it could link up again with the City University of Hong Kong on this project.
“We will also call a leader’s forum monthly so that issues that are relevant to the community can be better expressed,” Dela Torre said.
“The more na hindi nakaka-express yung community, the more nabobottle up ang issues,” he said, adding that the current POLO policy of denying requests for accreditation from new recruitment
agencies will remain in place.
(Source: HongKongNews.com.hk)