By Daisy CL Mandap
 |
| Signing the CoC from left: Palmiery, Liu, Roudy-Fraser and Dela Torre |
A landmark Code of Conduct that conforms to standards set by
the International Labor Organization on ‘fair recruitment’ was signed on Jun 2 by
two of the biggest employment agency organizations deploying Filipino domestic
workers in Hong Kong.
The CoC was signed at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office by
Teresa Liu for the Association of Hong Kong Manpower Agencies (AHKMA) and Alfredo
Palmiery of the Society of Hong Kong-Accredited Recruiters of the Philippines
(SHARP).
Gaela Roudy-Fraser, project manager of ILO’s Integrated
Programme for Fair Recruitment signed as witness, along with Labor Attache
Jalilo dela Torre.
The CoC contains, among other things, a no-recruitment fee
provision and binds the signatories to strictly adhere to the laws on
recruitment in both the sending, and the receiving countries.
They also are bound to charge “reasonable rates” for training
and medical tests, provide clear employment contracts, ensure applicants attend
pre-departure and post-arrival orientation seminars, monitor the status of
workers and provide them a safe channel for reporting grievances.
 |
| CG Morales says more agencies must adhere to the CoC |
Labatt dela Torre welcomed the initiative, but urged both
sides to “walk the talk,” meaning, they should ensure their member agencies
adhere strictly to the Code.
Consul General Antonio A. Morales also said it was a welcome
move, as “the protection of our nationals abroad is one of the pillars of our
foreign policy.”
But he noted that AHKMA represented only a small number of
the 1,700 licensed employment agencies in Hong Kong ,
so there was a need to reach out to more groups to spread the message about
better protection for migrant workers.
Roudy-Fraser called the signing of the CoC as a significant
first step towards protecting migrant workers rights, noting that Hong Kong was the first destination country to have a CoC
of this kind.
Press ad to find out 5 selected agent
locations, and terms of this promo.
Press ad to find out 5 selected agent
locations, and terms of this promo.
“You are really ahead of the curve, (compared with) other
countries,” she said.
Between this year and 2021, she said the second phase of the
Fair project will be implemented, which means expanding its application to
other countries like Qatar , Jordan and Tunisia
In response, Palmiery said the ILO initiative was a good
move because “ideally, it should benefit all sectors” including employers, he
said.
But he raised a question on its overall implementation. He
said if member-agencies are held bound to the CoC, what about the others who
are not signatories?
To ensure compliance, he suggested the Philippine government
through POLO, should provide incentives to agencies that sign and adhere to the
CoC. He also said the government should make it mandatory for all agencies to sign
up with an organization that pledges to be bound by fair recruitment practices.
Liu was more upbeat, saying, “We believe that the CoC,
supported by the Philippine government and the Hong Kong Labour Department can
further enhance professionalism and service quality in our trade.”
===
I-TRY MO ITO, KATRIBO!
Mas madali nang tawagan ang mga advertiser natin dito. Pindutin lang ang kanilang ad at lalabas ang automatic dialer. Isa pang pindot ay matatawagan mo ang advertiser na hindi na kailangang i-dial ang numero nila. I-try mo!
