HSWs for Taiwan still exempted from paying placement fees - POEA

MANILA, Philippines - Reminder to manpower agencies: the rule exempting Taiwan-bound Filipino household service workers (HSW) from paying placement fees remains in effect. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) issued this reminder in response to demands by placement agencies for the government to scrap the rule and let domestic workers pay the fee. The rule was put into effect under a series of resolutions approved by the POEA Governing Board in 2006 defining policy reforms that seek to upgrade the skills of HSWs, intensify the protective mechanisms at their job sites, oblige employers to shoulder the cost of deploying them, and increase their minimum salary. The Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan (Pilmat), however, wants the policy scrapped in view of the economic crisis that has forced many Taiwan companies employing foreign workers to shut down or reduce their operations. Pilmat president Jackson Gan claimed that the Philippines might lose job orders for HSWs as Taiwanese employers would opt for workers from other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia who are willing to pay placement fees. Gan said there are 20,000 job vacancies for caretakers – which is categorized under household service workers. In a letter to Labor Secretary Marianito Roque and the POEA Governing Board, the Pilmat noted that there is already an existing agreement between the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and Taiwan’s Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) signed in 2001 requiring workers to pay a month of their salaries to manpower agencies.   Gan cited GBR No. 1 and No. 2, series of 2001 that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MECO and CLA on which Memorandum Circular-5, 2001 of the POEA was issued stating that expenses to be shouldered by all Taiwan-bound workers regardless of any category shall cover the one-month placement fee, the usual documentation cost which includes visa, food and accommodation (for factory worker only), ticker, including on-site broker’s fee. POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili said that Gan’s proposal is “under consideration," but that it would still take time before the Governing Board reaches a decision regarding the matter. She also told Pilmat to show the 2001 agreement between MECO and CLA. “We don’t have the file so we asked him, ‘can you give us a copy?’ Sabi nya ‘Basta meron yun (He just said there is),’" she said. POEA deputy administrator for employment Viveca Catalig also said that if the recruitment companies fail to show the copy of the agreement, they will have to abide by the rules. - Kimberly Jane Tan, GMANews.TV