Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

The Philippines and Qatar have signed a landmark labor agreement establishing the first unified employment contract for Filipino household service workers, ensuring stronger protection and fair treatment for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) recently announced the deal, which consolidates employment terms into a single contract recognized by both governments. This measure addresses issues of contract substitution and inconsistent agreements that have left many household workers vulnerable. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac hailed the deal as a breakthrough. “Both Qatar and Philippines will now only recognize one contract. It will impose the Terms and Conditions of Employment for humane treatment of Filipino household workers,” Cacdac said in Filipino. He emphasized that the new unified contract guarantees annual leave, weekly rest days, daily rest periods, fair wages, and access to justice mechanisms in case of disputes. Cacdac said the agreement followed his meeting with Qatar’s Labor Minister Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri in Doha. “This unified contract will ensure that there is no substitution of contract,” he explained in Filipino. Qatar hosts more than 250,000 Filipino workers, many of them employed as domestic helpers. The new contract fulfills President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen labor cooperation with countries hosting large numbers of OFWs. By ensuring that both the Philippines and Qatar honor the same provisions, the agreement guarantees that Filipino household workers’ rights are protected from deployment to the end of their employment. CAM/Expat Media
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