By Marita Moaje
MANILA – The Philippine government, together with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has vowed to strengthen protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), particularly the around 40,000 Filipino household workers employed in the Arab state.
The Department of Migrant Workers on Thursday evening reported that Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, in a ministerial meeting with Jordan’s Minister of Labor Khalid Mahmoud Al-Bakkar, pushed forward reforms under the Enhanced Reform Program for Filipino Domestic Workers, which outlines critical measures.
This includes raising the minimum wage from USD400 to at least USD500, the implementation of a mandatory “know your employer” protocol before deployment, the establishment of a digital welfare monitoring system, the implementation of annual medical check-ups for domestic workers, a stricter whitelisting policy to ensure ethical recruitment, and stronger support services for Filipino workers.
“These reforms reflect our commitment to decent work, ethical recruitment, and strengthened welfare mechanisms for Filipino domestic workers deployed abroad,” Cacdac said in an earlier interview.
He also noted that this initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to champion OFW protection.
Al-Bakkar welcomed the measures and expressed Jordan’s readiness to work closely with the Philippines in upholding the dignity and welfare of migrant workers.
Manila and Amman adopted a Joint Statement on Labor Cooperation during their first Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) after reviewing their existing Memorandum of Understanding on Labor Cooperation signed in 2018, along with the Cooperation Framework on the Employment of Domestic Workers.
Among the key measures adopted from the review are the revision of employment contracts for domestic workers to ensure rest days, fair wages, annual leave, and adequate food provisions; the prohibition of passport confiscation and ensuring workers’ right to keep personal documents; the introduction of end-of-service benefits for domestic workers; establishment of a joint database for worker deployment, contracts, and transfers; and evaluation of the salary framework for hotel workers.
“Both nations also discussed assistance for workers on their immigration-related concerns, such as the legalization of undocumented workers, settlement of overstay penalties for expired residence permits or Iqama, and non-renewal of work permits or Tassreh,” the DMW said.
Jordanian Ministry of Labor Secretary General Abdel Haleem Dojan, meanwhile, welcomed the meeting as an important step in advancing bilateral cooperation and ensuring alignment with international labor standards.
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to promoting ethical recruitment, fair migration, and decent work, while working together to combat trafficking, address irregular migration, and create safer, more dignified labor mobility pathways.
Migrant Workers Undersecretary Jainal Rasul Jr. emphasized that the adoption of the Joint Statement is a prelude in the 50th anniversary of the Philippines–Jordan partnership. (PNA)
