President Duterte conveyed his plan to allow foreign telecommunications companies to do business in the country to improve internet services for Filipinos.
The President said, stressing that he would allow four to six foreign internet service providers to enter the country.
He said a Chinese firm and a Singaporean-based company had already expressed desire to set up stations here.
The Chief Executive earlier issued a warning to local telecommunications firms to improve the services that they provide to the public, otherwise they would have to compete with new players.
The President in conclusion said he remains grateful for the overwhelming support he has been receiving from the Filipino public, as shown in recent surveys.
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The President then reiterated his commitment to create genuine change in people’s lives, particularly on ending the illegal drug problem and improving the country’s economy so Filipinos no longer have to look for better jobs abroad.Source: PTV News
The minimum wage set for Household Service Workers (HSWs) in Hong Kong has been increased since Saturday
A wage hike of 2.3 % or HK$4,410 (P28,730.30) will be effective for the HSWs who will sign the new contract, according to south China Morning Post.
Tataasan ng 2.3 porsyento o papalo na sa ang sahod ng mga kasambahay sa Hong Kong na may mga kontratang pipirmahan sa Sabado o pagkatapos nito, ayon sa ulat ng South China Morning Post. For the HSWs with old existing contracts, the Immigration Department will handle the process of application for their wage increase. The application has to reach the department by October 27. More so, the food allowance that has been given instead of free meal stated in the HSW contracts will also be increased to HK$16. Sponsored Links
From the previous HK$1,037 (P6,755.86) the food allowance will be increased to HK$1,053 (P6,860.09) per month. On September last year, the minimum wage for Hong Kong HSWs has previously had increment from HK$4,210 to HK$4,310. There are 350,000 foreign domestic workers presently deployed in Hong Kong, more than 50% of them are Filipinos .
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) headed by Admin Hans Leo Cacdac has assured that the cash-back for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), who have been OWWA members for the past 10 years and have not availed of any OWWA services or programs, will be most probably available not later than the first quarter of 2018.
Cacdac made this assurance at a recent gathering with Filipino community leaders in Abu Dhabi’s Dusit Thani Hotel according to the report of The Filipino Times, a publication based in the UAE. However, Cacdac said that the amount is crucial as they want to make sure that the amount is neither too small or too big and that OWWA could have enough funds to handle it. Sponsored Links
Cacdac also said that they do not want to rush things and they want to make sure that they would announce the amount correctly when the right time comes.
An actual expert has been hired by OWWAto study the mechanism and sustainability of the program.
The OWWA administrator reiterated that another study is needed for tracking old OWWA members and the mode of payment transfer to be used.
“There is a possibility that the members have already relocated in other places. One suggestion that we are looking into is through the banking system,” Cacdac said.
DOLE delegation came recently to UAE for the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Philippines and the UAE and Admin Hans Cacdac was a part of it.
Around 120, 000 Filipino Household workers and the like will benefit the newly signed labor law in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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If strictly implemented and employers will follow, this law covers housemaids, watchmen, and security guards, chauffeurs, domestic laborers, housekeepers, private coaches, private teachers, babysitters, and private nurses, among others.
There are 10 points highlighted in the law that surely benefit household service workers, not just Filipinos but all foreign HSW working in the country. Here are the following;
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1. Payment of wages, as set out in the standard contract, within ten days from the day they are due
2. One day of paid rest per week
3. Twelve hours of rest per day, including eight hours of consecutive rest
4. Medical insurance provided by the employer
5. 30 medical leave per year
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6. Round-trip ticket home every two years
7. Decent accommodation
8. Decent meals at employer’s expense
9. Clothing, if required by the employer, at the employer’s expense
10. Possession of their personal identification papers such as passports, IDs
The new law also prohibits the hiring of anyone under 18 years of age and the assignment of tasks not covered under the contract.
It will take effect, two months after it is published in Official Gazette of United Arab Emirates. SEE MORE:
Karl Frederick Anderson believes that the maltreatment and abuses suffered by Filipina household workers in the Middle East will not stop unless the Philippine government will step sending HSWs in the region.
Anderson is an American running a record label in the US and had been helping abused Filipina domestic workers for four years.
His personal mission started when a Filipina he knew personally experienced abused while working in the Middle East. He helped this household worker and another after her and it still goes on.
For his mission, Anderson set up the Facebook page “Filipino Domestic Worker Abuse in Saudi Arabia,” which aims to "create awareness of a serious problem of abuse and human trafficking of Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia and offer contacts to those who are being abused." Anderson also said that slapping and spitting on the worker is common, based on the cases they have handled.
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He had also encountered cases of non-payment of wages.
In some instances, the sponsors are withholding their salaries nd wont let them go home in spite of their finished contract. Such situations force the household workers to escape form their employers.
Anderson lauded the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) for handling the cases well and doing their duties in assisting abused Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia.
However, helping the abused HSWs will not prevent more HSWs from being abused. As long as the government is still sending HSWs, the story of abused and maltreatment will just go on and on. The bast way to stop this is to ban the deployment of Filipino HSWs in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
This article is filed under: Small Cottage Designs, Small Home Design, Small House Design Plans, Small House Design Inside, Small House Architecture
Choosing a house design is easy but building one for a family is hard, especially if resources are lacking. That is why it is important to choose a design that suits your family but more importantly with your budget.
Another consideration in building a house is the number of people to live in. If it is a small family, a small house is a good option.
But if you have a medium-sized to extended family, you need a much larger space too. Here is some house design to consider without suffering your savings.
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1. Elevated Modern Tropical House
Small yet beautiful. This design is perfect for a small Filipino family who wants to have a house to call their home. Size of the house is 7.5 meters wide, 8.5 meters deep.
House plan includes a small terrace, a living room, combined dining room and a kitchen, two bedrooms, common toilet and bath, and service or working area in the background.
And because it is elevated, it can stand against one common problem in the Philippines, - flooding!
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2. Single-Story Three-Bedroom House
This modern bungalow house design has a total floor area of 161 square meters but requires at least 310 square meter lot area. The remaining space can use as a garden.
It is a perfect design, be it erected in rural or urban areas. This house plan has three bedrooms, with three toilets and bath. Also, it has a garage.
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3. Small and Sophisticated House
This small house comes with two bedrooms. This is a good option for those who want to have a house but with a limited resources.
This house is a low-cost with two-bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen, and living room. This model is easy to construct with a beautiful facade.
4. Three-bedroom Small House
Ideal house plan for a family with five members.
The ground floor has an American style kitchen, living room, one double suit plus additional two bedrooms and bathroom.
5. Modern House with Fabulous Interior Concepts
This house is designed to be built in rectangular lots, with two bedrooms, two toilets and bath, a laundry and a wash area.
In its linear arrangement, the other part is consist of the dining room, kitchen, barbecue drill and gourmet area while the opposite is the two bedroom with individual walk-in-closet.
This article is filed under: Small Cottage Designs, Small Home Design, Small House Design Plans, Small House Design Inside, Small House Architecture