PH thinking of ban on sending domestic helpers to Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The Philippine government is seriously considering a ban on the deployment of domestic helpers to Saudi Arabia amid incidents of abuses committed by employers and recruiters alike, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III

Meanwhile, Bello – who is part of the entourage of President Rodrigo Duterte – said he had tasked labor attaches to strictly monitor their situation of Filipino already in Saudi Arabia.

He said labor attaches had been warned they would be replaced if they should fail to report incidents of abuses against Filipino workers, including domestic helpers.

As this developed, Bello said the Saudi labor minister has given his go-signal for the repatriation of more than 200 Filipino in the kingdom, who were part of the larger number that availed of the amnesty for illegal migrants that the Saudi government announced on March 29.

Bello said some of them might be able to fly home with Duterte when he leaves Saudi Arabia for Bahrain on Wednesday evening.

Bello said the President would be prioritizing a female worker who had escaped from her employer after being scalded with hot water. –Allan Nawal /atm