Top officials from the Philippines are scheduled to meet with Saudi Labor Ministry officials today and tomorrow regarding the bilateral labor agreement on HSWs between the two countries, according to Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago.
“The Filipino officials will discuss the proposals of the Kingdom as well as the counter-proposals of the Philippines regarding the deployment of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) in the Kingdom,” the Filipino envoy told Arab News.
The Filipino officials include Danilo P. Cruz, Philippine undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); Hans Cacdac, administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA); Josefino Torres, deputy administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA); and Nathaniel Imperial, executive director at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). They arrived in the Kingdom Thursday night.
Labor Attache Alex A. Padaen of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Jeddah (POLO Jeddah) said that Cruz and his delegation will discuss point-by-point the contents of the agreement.
Earlier, an Arabic newspaper reported that the recruitment committee of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) rejected a provision of the agreement to open a bank account for housemaids.
Padaen said that if the two sides agree on the accord , it will be signed when Philippine Labor Secretary Erlinda Dimapilis-Baldoz comes to the Kingdom on April 7 on the invitation of Labor Minister Adel Fakeih.
Filipino officials to discuss labor agreement with KSA
