Dubai grants US$400 minimum wage for Filipino domestic helpers

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz

MANILA, Philippines — Good news to Filipino household service workers who want to work in Dubai.

Following the Saudis’ lead, Dubai employers will also implement the payment of US$400 in minimum monthly salary and have committed to address the perennial repatriation problem, according to the Department of Labor and Employment.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said a group of Philippine licensed recruitment agencies (LRAs) have signed with their counterpart foreign placement agencies (FPAs), representing foreign employers in the Emirate of Dubai, a joint statement of commitment to pave the way for the full implementation of the many provisions of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Household Reform Package for HSWs, including the payment of the minimum monthly salary of US$400 and non-charging of excessive fees.

Citing a report of lawyer Delmer Cruz, labor attaché-designate to Dubai, Baldoz said the joint statement of commitment reinforced the positive developments in the Middle East region in connection with the continued deployment of Filipino HSWs following the agreement between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a new Standard Employment Contract for HSWs.

“I am happy to note that the new SEC for HSWs to be deployed to Saudi Arabia has motivated other Middle East countries to follow suit and also formulate their own modes of giving our HSWs the kind of protection they truly deserve,” said Baldoz.

Cruz said that in a meeting held in Dubai to discuss new developments in the deployment of OFWs, particularly HSWs, Philippine LRAs and Dubai FPAs raised a host of issues on the Filipinos’ employment in Dubai, one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates.

He said another important provision of the joint statement of commitment addressed problems of repatriation.

“I am happy to report to the Secretary that the Philippine LRAs and the Dubai FPas have agreed to solve the problem once and for all. Together, they will facilitate the repatriation of distressed workers they deploy and cooperate fully with proper authorities in doing so,” said Cruz.  The labor attaché-designate assured Baldoz that the Philippine Overseas Labor Office would strictly monitor compliance of the parties to their joint statement of commitment.

Cruz said the Philippine LRAs, led by the Confederation of Licensed Agencies Deploying HSWs (CLADS) and the Philippine Association of Mediterranean Agencies Deploying Labours, Inc. (PAMADEL), have set a meeting with their counterparts in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.