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Showing posts with label United Arab Emirates. Show all posts

Thursday, March 04, 2021

Bilang ng mga Filipino na Gustong Mag-trabaho bilang Household Service Workers sa UAE, Nasa 100,000!

MANILA, Philippines — KINUMPERMA ng Department of Labor and Employment o DOLE na nasa 100,000 ang bilang ng mga Filipinong naghihintay na maibabalik ang deployment ng mga household service workers o HSWs sa United Arab Emirates.

Kaugnay nito, kinumperma ni Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III na simula Marso 31, muling magpapadala ng mga HSW ang Pilipinas sa nabanggit na bansa.

Ito'y matapos nagkasundo ang Pilipinas at UAE sa tinaguriang “historic” agreement para sa ikabubuti ng mga Filipino domestic helpers sa nabanggit na bansa.

“Marami ‘yan. Isang daang libo,” ang naging sagot ni Bello sa panayam ng ABS-CBN nang tinanong sa bilang ng mga OFWs na naghihintay sa muling pagbabalik ng deployment sa ng mga HSW sa UAE.

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Paliwanag ng opisyal, maraming mga Filipino ang gustong mag-trabaho sa UAE dahil sa malaking sahod at patas na pagtrato sa mga household workers.

“Ganun karami, now that they are offering the deployment to the United Arab Emirates. Kasi alam niyo maganda ang pay scale doon, maganda ang treatment sa household service workers, kaya nga despite the fact na wala tayong deployment doon, marami tayong mga kababayan na pumupunta doon as tourists. And from tourist visa, nagkakaroon ng change to working visa,” dagdag pa ni Bello.

Taong 2014 nang sinuspende ng Pilipinas ang pagpapadala ng domestic helpers sa UAE.

Ayon sa Phippine delegation head na si Undersecretary Claro Arellano, sakop ng bagong deployment ang Unified Employment Contract na may mga probisyon kagaya ng standard employment contract na ginagamit sa Kuwait.

Napapaloob sa kontrata ang mahigpit na hakbang upang maprotektahan ang mga Filipino household workers ayon na rin sa direktiba ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

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Sa ilalim ng unified contract, pawang may pananagutan ang employer, ang Foreign Recruitment Agencies at ang Philippine Recruitment Agencies sakaling may mangyaring masama sa Filipino workers.

Napapaloob din sa nasabing kontrata ang mga sumusunod:

The right of the domestic worker to take at least eight (8) continuous hours of sleep every night;
The right of the domestic worker to take a break that is paid, outside the residence of the employer at least one (1) full day every week;
The right of the domestic worker to keep his/her passport or identification documents and the employer is not allowed to hold them;
The employer shall allow the domestic worker to have and use cellular phones and other communication devices and the employer is prohibited from confiscating them;
Opening of bank account under the name of the domestic worker for payment of salary;
Allowing the domestic workers to cook her or his own food.

Maliban dito may napagkasunduan din ukol sa conversion ng tourist o visit visa patungong working visa.

Tulad ng napagkasunduan, aabisuhan ang Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) kapag ang isang visit visa ay 'ikinonvert' sa employment visa para sa isang Filipino domestic worker.

Hindi din umano inirerekomenda ang conversion ng tourist visa patungong working visa dahil maaaring maging dahilan ito ng illegal recruitment at trafficking in persons.

www.jbsolis.com, www.jbsolis.net, www.bahayofw.com

Friday, October 05, 2018

New Insurance Scheme To Protect HSWs In UAE Starting This Month

A large proportion of overseas Filipino workers(OFW) deployed in different parts of the world are household service workers (HSWs). A new announcement from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE) has shed a new light on the HSW sector in the United Arab Emirates.

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MOHRE announced that the currently mandatory Dh3,000 bank guarantee deposit per worker will be replaced by an annual Dh60 insurance per worker starting this month.

The implementation of the new system will result in the price of hiring household service workers (HSWs) in the UAE to become cheaper once the new insurance scheme is implemented.

The insurance policy will cover end-of-service benefits, vacation and overtime allowance, return air ticket, unpaid wages, and cases of the work injury.

The insurance will also cover the cost of replacing the worker for health reasons or if the domestic worker wants to cancel the working relationship with the employer. The total amount covered by the insurance is Dh20,000.

MOHRE will begin disbursing the bank guarantees paid earlier by private employers amounting to Dh14 million starting October 15. Those who had salary-related violations six months before work permit renewal, however, would not be able to reimburse their bank guarantees.

The insurance scheme was one of the new laws approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in June.

The UAE Vice President said in June that UAE goal "is to remain a top destination for ease of doing business, through an agile economy based on flexibility and openness.”
Filed under the category of overseas Filipino workers(OFW), household service workers, Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization, HSW, United Arab Emirates

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As overseas Filipino workers (OFW) working in an unfamiliar territory, we feel comfortable whenever we see a compatriot or a fellow Filipino abroad. In some instances, very unfortunate things happen like getting into a trouble because of a fellow Filipino. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Consulate General in Saudi Arabia confirmed that an OFW was stabbed and killed by a fellow OFW in Jeddah, KSA. Ads Sponsored Links A Filipino was stabbed and killed by a fellow Filipino in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to the confirmation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The victim (name withheld) was a 29-year-old from Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, who worked as a family driver in Jeddah. The suspect (name withheld), a 34-year-old from Capiz, also a driver for the same family The suspect remains under police custody after he was arrested immediately after the incident. The two "allegedly engaged in a fistfight in front of the house of their employer that ended in the victim getting fatally stabbed by his fellow driver." The motive of the stabbing is still unknown. The Consulate General and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Jeddah will extend full assistance to both Filipinos as well as their families. The victim is set for a vacation to the Philippines soon but the incident turned out to be unfortunate that he will come home inside a box. Consul General Edgar Badajos said that the suspect is facing a death sentence as per Saudi Sharia law. However, since they are both Filipinos, it is possible that the victim's family could instead He assured that they will render assistance to help both OFWs. Filed under the category of overseas Filipino workers, Filipino abroad, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Saudi Arabia, stabbed, Jeddah, KSA

More often, families with overseas Filipino workers (OFW) rely on their OFW breadwinner in providing their needs and without doing any efforts to have extra income. They use the money they receive to pay their bills, rents, mortgages, etc. They tend to spend the remittances they receive and wait for the next remittance when the money is over without any savings. This is the reason why no matter how long the OFWs exhaust themselves working overseas, they are still coming home broke and without any savings. Encouraging our spouse or anyone who is responsible for the remittances you send to save could be a great help and could guarantee a hassle-free retirement, much more if they placed this savings to a profitable investment. Ads Sponsored Links Stick to a budget schedule Convince your spouse to make a monthly budget and commit to saving a portion of the monthly remittance. They could also spend the remaining part of the budget after setting aside the savings. No matter how small the savings, it could mean a lot after a period of time you regularly do it. Use the credit card wisely or do not use it at all Credit cards could be an advantage when purchasing but it can also lure the holder to spend more. Whenever possible, avoid using credit cards and use cash instead. It would save you from paying extra charges and interests which can really raise your spending. The best rule should be, do not spend the money you do not have. Always make a list of important things to buy Many OFW spouses tend to go on a shopping spree just after receiving the remittance and let their impulses lead in which items they like to buy at the very moment without putting their priorities on the things they really needed. Encourage them to develop a habit and discipline of making a list of the things they need to prioritize during shopping and strictly follow what is on the list to avoid spending too much on the things that are not really important. Live a lifestyle that suits your income Many OFW spouses live like one day millionaire. after claiming the remittances you sent, they will go straight to the mall, eat at the fast-food chain of their choice, go on a shopping spree buying what they want without even thinking if they still have the money to go through the month until the next remittance. If their budget got short, they would borrow money from someone which would cause the next budget to bear the shortage and the cycle goes on. There's nothing wrong with being generous but not too much Advise your spouse to exercise caution when giving help to extended families, relatives or friends. There is nothing wrong with extending help but there has to be a limitation. This would avoid them to become dependent on your assistance that they would knock your everytime they need financial help. Working overseas is not forever and you will eventually come home for good. It is you and your spouse who need to work hand-in-hand to succeed. Together you must find ways to take care of your finances and save for the future of your family. Filed under the category of overseas Filipino workers, extra income, bills, rents, mortgages, remittances, working overseas, retirement, investment, savings

www.jbsolis.com, www.jbsolis.net, www.bahayofw.com

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

SSS Members; OFWs Urged To Avail Loan Restructuring Program Before April 1, 2019

The Social Security System (SSS) has announced the new batch of loan condonation program or the loan restructuring program (LRP) in August, whereas the members with delinquent status in paying their previous loan in a period of more than 6 months will be allowed to settle their accounts without paying any penalty. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who currently has current unpaid loans are urged to apply for the LRP until October 1 and further extended until April 1, 2019.

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SSS continues to encourage its members, including OFWs, to apply for loan restructuring program with penalty condonation especially OFWs who have short-term member loans including calamity, salary, educational, and emergency loans.

Under the program, members will no longer pay the additional penalties for the unsettled loans. Members only need to pay for the annual interest and the principal loan.

Payments can be done in whole or on a monthly installment provided that the payment terms will not exceed 5 years.

OFWs can apply for LRP in two ways:

1. If you are currently in the UAE, you can visit the SSS office located at the Philippine Consulate in Dubai and the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

2. OFWs can also delegate their application to their authorized representative. Give them an authorization letter to process the application through the SSS office in the Philippines.

You can download the application form at the SSS official website.

The Social Security System (SSS) has announced the new batch of loan condonation program or the loan restructuring program (LRP) whereas the members with delinquent status in paying their previous loan in a period of more than 6 months will be allowed to settle their accounts without paying any penalty. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)who currently has current unpaid loans are urged to apply for the LRP until October 1. Ads Sponsored Links SSS continues to encourage its members, including OFWs, to apply for loan restructuring program with penalty condonation especially OFWs who have short-term member loans including calamity, salary, educational, and emergency loans. Under the program, members will no longer pay the additional penalties for the unsettled loans. Members only need to pay for the annual interest alongside the principal loan. Payments can be done in whole or on a monthly basis as long as the payment terms will not exceed 5 years. OFWs can apply for LRP in two ways: 1. If you are currently in the UAE, you can visit the SSS office located at the Philippine Consulate in Dubai and the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi. 2. OFWs can also delegate their application to their authorized representative. Give them an authorization letter to process the application through the SSS office in the Philippines. You can download the application form at the SSS official website. Ads Filed under the category of Social Security System , SSS, loan restructuring program, loan condonation program, Overseas Filipino workers, United Arab Emirates , loans

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Filed under the category of Social Security System , SSS, loan restructuring program, loan condonation program, Overseas Filipino workers, United Arab Emirates , loans

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Depression is a serious global problem that if not properly addressed could ruin a person's life as well as those of the people around them. According to the World Health Organization, depression affects 300 million people around the world and around 16.2 million adults in the U.S translated to 6.7 % of the adult population in the country have experienced major depressive episodes in the past year. Some of them resulted in suicide. It is also experienced by adolescents or teenagers from age 12-17. Statistics show that about 20% of teens experience depression before their adulthood. As parents, especially those who are working overseas such as overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are advised to monitor their kids at least during their chat time or video calls. We must be aware of the signs that might tell us that our children are already into such kind of mental condition without us even noticing it. Ads Sponsored Links The most common symptoms of depression are the following: -The child or adolescent gets lower grades than usual. -Being aloof or isolating themselves from others. -You may even notice a sudden change of sleeping pattern -The kid may also show sudden anger and irritability -They can also show loose of appetite -Posting a negative status on social media - If you notice them be doing self-harm like wounding themselves or the likes, you must act and bring them to a specialist for counseling. Are There Warning Signs of Suicide With Depression? Depression carries a high risk of suicide. Suicidal thoughts or intentions are serious. Warning signs include: —A sudden switch from sadness to extreme calmness, or appearing to be happy —Always talking or thinking about death —Clinical depression (deep sadness, loss of interest, trouble sleeping and eating) that gets worse —Taking risks that could lead to death, such as driving through red lights —Making comments about being hopeless, helpless, or worthless —Putting affairs in order, like tying up loose ends or changing a will —Saying things like "It would be better if I weren't here" or "I want out" —Talking about suicide —Visiting or calling close friends and loved ones If you or someone you know shows any of the warning signs mentioned above, call your Philippine suicide hotline at Hotline:(02) 804-HOPE (4673) Mobile phone: 0917 558 HOPE (4673) or contact a mental health professional right away. Filed under the category of Depression, World Health Organization, major depressive episodes, overseas Filipino workers, suicide, mental condition

The remittances coming from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) helps the Philippine economy on its feet for decades. Because many Filipinos count on their relatives or family member working abroad for their monthly expenses, particularly those who are working in Saudi Arabia, was worried about a recent news that the Saudi Arabian government will impose taxes on remittances sent by expatriates including thousands of OFWs in the Gulf region. Ads Sponsored Links The Ministry of Finance has denied rumors with regard to the imposition of fees on remittance by foreign workers. â€œReferring to what has been circulated by some media about the proposal to impose fees on remittance by foreign workers, the Ministry of Finance categorically denies this and affirms the commitment to support the free movement of capital through official channels in accordance with the best international standards and practices,â€ the ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. The statement noted that the ministry aims by this to boost investor confidence in the economy and achieve further growth of the economy within the framework of the Kingdomâ€™s Vision 2030 so as to enhance the competitiveness of the economy and its attractiveness to foreign investments. It is to be noted that the ministry spokesman had denied in January 2017 a similar report about the move to impose a fee on foreign remittance.

One of the many problems encountered by overseas Filipino workers (OFW) prior to their deployment is the high placement fees collected by recruitment agencies aside from processing and medical fees and other expenses in securing various documents in applying for overseas jobs. For that reason, they are forced to sell their properties or to avail loans even on a high interest rate. But for the OFW caregivers who are applying for deployment to Israel, the placement fees will become lower as a new bilateral agreement is being forged between the two countries. Ads EMBED VIDEO HERE Sponsored Links Filipinos wanting to work as caregivers in Israel would no longer have to pay high placement fees as the governments of Israel and the Philippines are expected to forge a bilateral labor agreement during President Rodrigo R. Duterteâ€™s state visit on September 2-5. Philippine Ambassador to the State of Israel Nathaniel Imperial said the labor cooperation agreement will â€œhopefully ensure that the exploitative placement fees that are being charged to our workers would be substantially reduced, if not, eliminated.â€ â€œIt will be a government to government agreement. So private recruitment agencies will no longer be involved in the recruitment process,â€ Imperial said in an interview with Radio Television MalacaÃ±ang at the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel on August 30. Aside from the labor and business agreements, Imperial said the Philippine Embassy has identified several areas of cooperation that will be pursued during the Presidentâ€™s visit. â€œOne is in science and technology. Israel, as you know, is known as the start-up nation. It is known for its innovation and its very advanced software and technology. And this is something that we can learn from and that we can partner with Israel,â€ he said. Over the last few years, he said, the Philippines has broadened the areas of labor cooperation with Israel, which is home to 29,000 Filipino workers and residents. â€œAround 24,000 of them are caregivers taking care of the elderly in Israel and disabled children. And so in a way, you can say that we are helping Israel cope with an aging population,â€ he said. Imperial also took pride in saying that labor conditions in Israel are some of the best in the Middle East. â€œWorkers here receive the highest minimum wage in all of the Middle East. And they have days off, they have the right to worship and practice their faith,â€ he added. â€œAnd as you know this is the Holy Land. Itâ€™s a special place for Filipino Christians and theyâ€™re having a very good time here and enjoying their work even though itâ€™s a very difficult and demanding type of work, caregiving.â€ Ads The President, who departed Manila Sunday afternoon for Israel, is expected to meet with the Filipino community (Filcom) at Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem at around 9:30 p.m. (Manila time). Imperial said Filipinos are looking forward to the meeting because it is a fulfillment of the Presidentâ€™s promise. â€œHe was supposed to come in May of last year. But because of the Marawi incident, he had to postpone his overseas travel,â€ he said. Because of the limitations of space though, only around 1,400 Filipinos will be able to meet with President Duterte at the Filcom event venue. Imperial said Filipinos in Israel are fortunate because President Duterteâ€™s visit is the first by a sitting Philippine president since the formal establishment of diplomatic ties 61 years ago. He said the enduring friendship between Israelis and Filipinos actually started in the late 1930s. â€œIn 2009, the Philippine embassy together with the Israeli government dedicated a monument in the city of Rishon Lezion called the Open Doors monument to commemorate the humanitarian assistance provided by the Philippines to Jewish refugees escaping the Holocaust in the late 1930s,â€ he said. He added that then President Manuel Quezon allowed the entry of around 1,300 Jewish refugees and that monument has attracted a lot of attention from Israeli and Filipino tourists.

uying real property can be considered among very important investments for an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) must have. having your own house and lot is a big accomplishment in a life of OFWs regardless of how big it is or its location or if you bought it cold cash or through a mortgage loan. To own a real property, it is important that you secure proper documentation. You need to be issued a land title as a proof of ownership. But what if your title was lost or damaged no matter how safe you keep it? That is why the Land Registration Administration urges every Filipinos to enjoy the benefit and convenience of converting their paper land titles to electronic titles also known as the eTitle. Ads Sponsored Links The Philippine Embassy in UAE on Tuesday, August 28, encouraged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the UAE to convert their physical copy of land titles to e-titles or the digital version of land titles. Under the Land Regulatory Authorityâ€™s (LRA) Land Titling Conversion Project, original titles in the Registry of Deeds are now stored in digital databases while the landownerâ€™s duplicate copies of land title can now be converted to e-titles. In a video uploaded by LRA, physical copies of land titles are prone to get lost, production of multiple fake copies, fire, and other natural disasters that may damage the physical copies. Landowners will also no longer need to pay hefty fees in securing another copy of the land title when their duplicate copies are lost. Moreover, e-titles also have security features to further protect the legitimacy of the land title. Landowners need to bring their duplicate land title copies and other required documents to the Registry of Deeds or nearest satellite office. The LRA personnel will then compare the duplicate copy to the original copy stored in their database. Once validated, the physical copy will then be converted to e-titles for a minimal fee. The e-title will be available for pick-up after a few days. The Land Registration Authority has been implementing the Voluntary Title Standardization Program. It provides title owners the option to upgrade manually-issued titles to â€œeTitlesâ€, which are issued by LRAâ€™s new Computerized System. LRAâ€™s Computerized System was developed as part of the agencyâ€™s Land Titling Computerization Project, which aims, among others, to: 1. Maintain on-line information on titles that is current, complete and accurate. 2. Maintain the security and integrity of records by safeguarding these from tampering or destruction and deter substitution or insertion of questionable data, in paper or digital form; and 3. Provide a system of timely detection and identification of fake land titles which will assist in the identification of persons responsible, therefore. How Do You Convert Your Land Title to eTitle? Bring your ownerâ€™s duplicate title and other required documents to the registry of deeds or the nearest satellite office. The LRA personnel will match the duplicate copy to the original to validate authenticity. Once validated, the conversion process of your manual title to eTitle will commence. And after a few days, your ownerâ€™s duplicate eTitle will be ready for pick-upâ€“all for a price of a movie date. So start enjoying the convenience of a tamper-proof, destruction-proof, lost-proof original eTitle and the security of an ownerâ€™s duplicate eTitle. Start converting today!â€ Why do you need to convert your paper land title to eTitle? Both original and duplicate titles are made of paper and these can be faked, lost, or misplaced, or destroyed by wear and tear, fire, and natural disasters. The answer is land title conversion to eTitle. The LRA has embarked on the eTitling Conversion Project. Original titles in the Registry of Deeds Vaults are now digitzed and stored in the computer database while ownersâ€™ duplicate copy of title can now be converted to eTitles. eTitles are immune from the dangers paper titles are exposed to. Landowners are also spared from the expensive and tedious reconstitution process whenever the original titles are lost or destroyed. Ads With the use of technology, the eTitle now empowers the LRA to further improve its delivery of services. eTitles also address the risk management requirements of banks and other institutions. Convert your titles! While the LRA is doing its part, you must also do your share as a landowner. Filed under real property, investments, overseas Filipino worker (OFW), mortgage loan, land title, Land Registration Administration, Filipinos electronic title, eTitles

www.jbsolis.com, www.jbsolis.net, www.bahayofw.com

Friday, August 03, 2018

OFW To Be Deported For Filming A Bare Flatmate In UAE

Overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are warned that filming or even taking photos of a person and posting or sharing it on social media or by a form of a private message, more so if they are half naked, is highly prohibited in Middle Eastern countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Offenders will be put in jail and deported.

A male OFW in Dubai was put to jail for six months and is facing deportation after he was caught secretly filming his female flatmate in Dubai, UAE.

A 24-year-old Filipina was notified by her friend that her 38-year-old Filipino former flatmate had secretly taken a video of her while half-naked in her bedroom in November.

Her friend showed her a 10-second video on WhatsApp showing her partly naked while getting dressed. It could have been taken in the morning while she prepares herself going to work.

According to her friend, the accused even boasted before him that he had filmed her nude.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the suspect with breaching the woman’s modesty, molesting her by secretly filming her nude and misusing the social media by filming the woman.

Video voyeurism is strictly punishable even in the Philippines and offenders could face legal reprimands. In the UAE, they are more strict in implementing the law against it.

The accused said he is terribly sorry for what he did as he pleaded for forgiveness but the victim demands severe punishment for what he did.

“I was at home at Dubai Investment Park when my Filipino friend told me that the defendant had secretly filmed me nude when I was at my previous residence. Initially, I did not believe him until he showed me the clip that the accused had sent to him on WhatsApp. He secretly filmed me while I was getting dressed after taking a morning shower and getting ready to go to work. From the video content, it was quite obvious that the accused slid his hand underneath the wooden partition [that we had used to divide the room into two compartments] and made the video,” the woman narrated.

To prevent the accused from using the video and uploading it on the internet, the victim said she wants him to be punished.

Filed under the category of Overseas Filipino workers, social media, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia