Dubai Raise Minimum Wage of Filipino Domestic Helpers

The minimum wage of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) would soon be set to USD400.

The announcement was made by Labor Secretary, Baldoz after she received the report from labor-attache designate to Dubai, Atty. Delmer Cruz.

The salary increase is just one of the many provisions set in the joint statement of commitment recently signed between a group of Philippine licensed recruitment agencies (LRAs) and their counterpart foreign placement agencies (FPAs) that represent the employers in Dubai. The signed statement of commitment contains the Household Reform Package for HSWs set by the Labor Department.

Baldoz said, "I am happy to note that the new SEC for HSWs to be deployed to Saudi Arabia has motivated other Middle East countries to follow suit and also formulate their own modes of giving our HSWs the kind of protection they truly deserve."

Aside from the increase in minimum wage, the reform package would also prohibit the charging of excessive fees. Another provision deals with the problem in repatriation.