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Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay said the country may consider lifting in more countries in Europe the ban on "au pair" programs where a family provides a person with room, board, and a small salary in exchange for taking care of children. In a statement on Thursday, Binay said the reinstatement of the au pair program in some European countries would bring employment opportunities to Filipinos. “I believe this would facilitate the establishment of education and employment opportunities in Europe for Filipinos, particularly those who have been affected by the political situation in the Middle East," Binay said. According to the Office of the Vice President, the Philippines stopped sending au pairs to Europe in 1997 after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) received reports of maltreatment including:
unfair compensation;
excessive working hours;
discrimination, and
sexual assault. In October last year, the Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration (POEA) lifted the ban some countries that guaranteed to protect the au pairs and follow the conditions set by the Philippine government for their deployment. These countries include: Switzerland, Norway, and Denmark. Binay, who is also presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) affairs, said, “We are in the process of reviewing the au pair program in order to facilitate proper guidelines and policies on departure and monitoring." He met with officials from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), POEA, DFA, Department of Education (DepEd) and the Bureau of Immigration to identify countries where the ban could be lifted. Au pair program “Au pair" is a French phrase that means “on par" or “equal to." Under the au pair program, Filipinos “live on an equal basis in a reciprocal, caring relationship" with their host families, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The aim of the program is for the au pair, a foreigner, to be at par or equal to locals by being treated as a member of the family instead of a domestic servant. In general, au pairs perform house work and child care. While they do not have formal salaries, they receive monetary allowance from their host families. - VVP, GMA News
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