Philippines officials laud new UAE law protecting household workers

Leaders of the Philippine diplomatic mission in the UAE have expressed gratitude to President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for signing a statute upholding the workers' rights and protecting them from human traffickers.

An article in the Dubai-based newspaper aimed at overseas working Filipinos, the Filipino Times, says that the UAE's new law declares that placement agencies should ensure domestic workers are informed of the terms and conditions of their employment before they start working. These include the nature of work, the workplace, salary, and period of daily and weekly rest set by executive regulations.

According to the article, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, Constancio Vingno Jr., told the publication in a telephone phone interview from the Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi, "We are very happy. We have been waiting for that [law] which was a result of continuing discussions between the UAE and Philippine governments."

He added, "Recruitment of HSWs [household service workers] will now have to go through a new process, and should a problem arise, there will be someone we can hold accountable and there will also be an office here in the UAE where complaints can be filed."

Consul-General Paul Raymund Cortes also hailed the new law, "We are assured that our workers who come to the UAE will lead happier and more productive lives for themselves, their families back in the Philippines, and for the greater and more diverse UAE community here. All these toward a more sustainable and visionary UAE," he told The Filipino Times.

Labor Attache, Felicitas Bay of the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Dubai, said she hopes the new law for HSWs will curb forced labour and human trafficking.

"With the approval of the UAE law on domestic workers, I believe that our nationals in this category or sector will have stronger protection backed by a firm assurance from the UAE government," Bay said.

The law will take effect 60 days after its publication in the UAE Official Gazette.