Bello mulls allowing direct hiring for domestic helpers returning to HK

The HKU dialogue with Secretary Bello on September 25.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he will study whether to allow the “direct hiring” of Filipino domestic workers returning to Hong Kong.

Speaking at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Bello said direct hiring could be allowed for those who were prematurely terminated by their employers or those who decided to break their contract as long as their documents are approved by the Philippine Consulate General and the Hong Kong government.

“Sige, pag-isipan ko. Basta dadaan sa ganung proseso. Hindi yung deretsohan na wala ng pakialam ang consulate or POLO. Gawa tayo ng bagong circular for that purpose,” Bello said during the HKU dialogue with Filipinos on September 25.

The dialogue was organized by the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (INIFIL-Migrante-HK).

Bello noted that former Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac (now head of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration), already supported the idea.

“Pag-aralan ko mabuti yan. Baka pumayag ako kung irerecommend ni Admin Cacdac at iba. Basta merong tinatawag na proseso,” Bello said.

“Sabi ni Admin Cacdac, basta raw galing ka na rito at babalik ka, pwede ng direct hiring…Pag-aralan natin,” he added.

Bello was at first opposed to the idea, adding that Filipino domestic workers might fall prey to illegal recruiters.

“Ako, maingat ako. Pagkadirect hire, merong danger na maging victim kayo. Ngayon nga na kailangan ng agency, meron pa ring nagrerecruit na illegal recruiter at
human traffickers. That is the danger that I am afraid of,” Bello said.

He said he was concerned that Filipino domestic workers might be recruited into prostitution by human traffickers.

“Mamaya, meron tayong kababayan na naging victim ng illegal recruitment at ginawang prostitute. Sasabihin sa akin ni Presidente, ‘Bakit mo kasi pinayagan yung
direct hiring? Nagkaroon tuloy tayo ng kababayan na naging biktima,’” Bello said.

“Kailan lang may nahuling illigal recruiter na taga-Davao. Nangako ng trabaho ng butcher sa Australia at Japan for P90,000 or P140,000. May 200 na kababayan natin
yung nabiktima,” he added.

But Eman Villanueva, Bayan-HK and Macau chair, pointed out that direct hiring was already allowed for those who are renewing their contracts with the same employer and those who transfer to a new employer after finishing their contract.

“Baka pwedeng hindi na kami dumaan sa agency kapag prematurely terminated kasi ang problema malaki ang binabayaran,” Villanueva said.

“Kahit nakakuha ng employer dito on their own, piwersado pa rin kasing dumaan sa agency when sila naghirap na maghanap sa employer,” he adde.

Cacdac expressed his support for allowing “direct hiring” for prematurely terminated FDHs who are coming back to Hong Kong to a new employer.

“Pag-aaralan natin yan. Kung ang sitwasyon naman ay nandito na (sa Hong Kong) at nasuri na rin ni Labatt (ang contract), ang sitwasyon ng paglipat ay makatao, at sang- ayon sa batas ng HK ang kontrata at standards, ay baka naman puwede. Pag-aaralan natin,” Cacdac said.

“Bakit kailangang maningil ng pera (ang agency) kung nakahanap na ng trabaho (ang worker)?” he added.

Cacdac noted that many terminated FDHs are made to “pay double” excessive placement fees to the agency here and its counterpart in the Philippines so that they can work again in Hong Kong.

“Yung double pay ay hindi dapat yan. Idudulog namin ang ating pagsusuri (kay Kalihim Bello) sa lalong madaling panahon para maaksyunan na pagbalik namin ng Maynila,” Cacdac said.