Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia to blacklist abusive employers in Jordan

The Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia - the three Asian countries sending household service workers (HSWs) to Jordon - have agreed to share information on abusive employers and put them on a common blacklist, Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Julius Torres said.

Torres, who has been ambassador here since April, said he is inclined to have the ban lifted - with conditions.

He said negotiations between Philippine and Jordan authorities are ongoing so that the ban will be lifted.

“A few months after I arrived, I already recommended the lifting of the ban” because it does not solve the problem of maltreatment or abuse of employers, he said. Torres admitted that the deployment of Filipino house helpers to Jordan continues despite the ban which took effect January this year. He said 5,000 Filipino HSWs have come to Jordan since then.

“The ban is not a screen but an open window,” he said.

Torres said the sharing of information among the three countries is part of the measures taken by the embassy so that the deployment ban will be lifted by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s governing body.

“So those employers who have a record of, for instance, maltreating or not paying the salary of a Sri Lankan household service worker will not be able to hire a Filipino or an Indonesian house help,” he said.

The ambassador said the job market here for other types of work for expatriates is just opening up.

“We have direct recruits for workers in hotels, shops, groceries, and banquet halls,” he said.

Inquirer.net, Philippines