Bello to discuss window-cleaning ban with Cheung

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III

Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III will discuss the proposed window-cleaning ban for Filipino domestic workers when he meets with Hong Kong Labour and Welfare Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung early next week, a labor official said.

Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre said Bello will visit Hong Kong this weekend and will meet with Cheung on September 26 before Bello returns to Manila.

“(Bello will) be here as early as Saturday. He will be here up to 4 p.m. on the 26th because he has a meeting with Secretary Cheung,” Dela Torre said in an interview.

He said the Philippine labor chief will discuss with Cheung the proposed ban on window-cleaning, the case of Emry’s employment agency, and the increasing number of incidents of Filipino domestic workers being brought by their Hong Kong employer to the mainland to work in their homes there.

Dela Torre has proposed that the Philippine government should not process a domestic worker’s contract unless there is a categorical “exception” that that the worker would not be cleaning windows, especially in high-rise buildings.

The Philippine Consulate General came out with the proposal after a Filipino worker fell to her death in Tseung Kwan O while cleaning windows.

“In the Emry’s case, we hope he announces that its accreditation has been cancelled. At the same time, we will ask the Hong Kong government that in instances like this when there are many complainants, there should be an opportunity for the consolidation of the hearings of the cases,” Dela Torre said.

Emry’s used to be the biggest supplier of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong but it was suspended in June after workers accused it of offering non-existent jobs in the United Kingdom and Canada.

At least 250 workers have filed formal complaints against the agency at the consulate while others have gone to the Small Claims Tribunal to get back their money.

Dela Torre said the consulate was also concerned about the increasing number of Hong Kong employers who take their Filipino domestic workers to the mainland.

“We’re getting more cases like this. The contract and visa say that they work in Hong Kong but the employer has a house in China. So, when they go on vacation, they also take their worker there,” he said.

“But then, the worker stays there for one month or more. That’s no longer a vacation but work,” he added.

Dela Torre said the consulate would also take up the matter with the Immigration Department.

“We would like to know what the guidelines for cases like these are. At least, we should be able to monitor how many are going there and where exactly they’re going,” he said.

Bello is visiting Hong Kong on the invitation of the United Filipino in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-Migrante-HK) .

UNIFIL chair Dolores Balladares said Bello will meet with members of the Filipino community in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong University on September 25.

He said Filipino workers from Macau will also come over to meet with Bello and discuss their concerns.