A government official in the Philippines says Middle Eastern countries should abolish the kafala system, which gives sponsoring employers too much control over workers and leaves workers vulnerable to trafficking and forced labor.
On Wednesday, Abdullah Mama-o, presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers, said the Philippine government should not allow the deployment of workers to the Middle East while the kafala system is still in place, ABS-CBN News reported.
Under that system, employers are required to sponsor their domestic workers in order for them to acquire a visa and work permit. Mama-o said the system hindered the Philippine government’s efforts to Filipinos working in the Middle East.
“The employer controls everything. When the worker arrives, he has the passport, he locks the house, the room, everything. Domestic workers cannot go out of the house,” he said.
Labor Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad said he and a team of officials would go to Kuwait on Thursday to ensure the protection of Filipinos working there, Arab Times reported.
Lagunzad said President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered the team to ensure that Filipino workers in Kuwait deposit their passports at the Philippine Embassy and that they have access to mobile phones so that they can call for help in case of abuse.
Many domestic workers in the Middle East have had their passports and mobile phones confiscated.
Yan Ang tamang gawin.pkipagkasundo government yo government.at dapat Isa lng Ang dapat pagsilbihin NG nsabing of.w.kailangan may day off any mga d.h.every Friday .tulad sa mga company.buti nmn at nagigising na kyong mga NSA embassy.
That is not the solution .total ban is the only solution to the problem.
Maganda yan. Passport with the embassy upon arrival.saka may constant followup sa kanila pag dating sa work place.
Modern slavery still exists, most OFWS live it. I hope President Duterte will fight for all us here in the ME so we can be protected.
Maganda yan kailangan may ugnayan ang embassy sa mga ofw para malaman ang kalagayan hindi yung hindi alam ng mga nasa konsulado ang mga ofw.
mas mabuti na yung mga katulong eh nasa isang building lang at magduduty sa umaga, at pag tapos na ang duty sa bahay eh babalik dun sa building nila… Kumbaga eh isusuply lang sila sa bahay at pag tapos ng duty eh susunduin ulet para ibalik sa accomodaiton nila… parang nag oopis lang, hindi stay in dun sa opis… Mas maganda yan, dahil di sila obligado matulog sa loob ng bahay ng arabo…
Mas maganda pang huwag ng magpadala ng mga babaeng housemaid para sigurado at ligtas sila.mas nakakarami ang mga walanghiyang mga Arabo…