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MANILA, Philippines -- With the world economic downturn, work usually available for female migrant workers is on the decline, a Philippine ambassador told an international conference on Thursday.
In her keynote speech at the International Conference on Gender, Migration, and Development, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Delia Albert said the decline in overseas work opportunities for women is evident in notices released by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) last week indicating several "traditional destinations for women service workers were closing their recruitment doors."
"It was also reported that even [wages for] low-paid jobs were getting even lower. Soon, it may not even be an economic win to have women workers continue with overseas jobs, if one has to take into account the serious social costs of an absent wife and mother," she said.
However, Albert admitted being unable to recall in which countries jobs for Filipinas were getting scarce, when asked after the forum.
Nevertheless, Albert's observations coincide with those of newly appointed Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration chief Carmelita Dimzon, who said that over the past year, the deployment of women overseas Filipino workers has declined.
In her experience in Europe, Albert said the problem of Filipina migrants has evolved from domestic violence (mostly among mail-order brides), from the 1970s to the 1990s, to tough competition for jobs now.
"Today, I note that the number of domestic violence [cases] cases has abated. Newer issues, such as competition for workplaces with women from the Eastern European countries, are being felt especially in the nursing and domestic services sector. Also the slowing of economies has diminished the possibilities for low-skilled workers," she said.
This situation, she said, may be viewed as an opportunity for the Philippines to "seriously consider" ways to attract home its migrant workers, especially women, before the crunch sets in.
Albert urged that given the declining economic performances of major economic players, the Philippines, as well as other labor-sending countries, need to assess the impact of this downtrend on migrant workers, especially women.
In Europe, she noted the region's adoption of a common two-pronged policy toward labor migration: defining the obligation of labor-sending countries to re-admit their nationals who are illegally staying in the territory of another state, and prohibiting all host countries from encouraging brain drain or accepting manpower needed in the development of the poor countries.
