Press Release No. 15-2018
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN JEDDAH BEGINS INTERVIEWING SAUDI EMPLOYERS OF FILIPINO HOUSEHOLD SERVICE WORKERS
Jeddah, 5 April 2018 - Beginning with its Consular Mobile Service in Taif City in the Mecca province of Southwest Arabia on 9 to 10 March 2018, the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah has started interviewing Saudi employers of female OFWs who are working for them as household service workers (HSWs).
Social Welfare Attaché Razon giving a short talk about the rights of the workers and the obligations of their employers
“The interview of Saudi employers is part of concerted efforts by the Philippine Consulate General and the attached agencies in Jeddah to protect female OFWs working as HSWs from potentially oppressive working environments,” said Consul General Edgar Badajos who led the Philippine consular mobile team in Taif and two other Southwestern provinces of Saudi Arabia that followed. As a protective measure, the interview works by raising the awareness of Saudi employers of the rights of their worker under Saudi law and of their obligations towards the latter, including providing their worker with safe and clean sleeping quarters, at least one-day off for every work week, right amount of salary and other benefits under Saudi law.
Social Welfare Attaché Razon answering questions of the workers and their employers during her talk
In line with the One-Country-Team Approach, it is the Social Welfare Attaché who actually conducts the interview with the Saudi employers before they are allowed to proceed to the step of the consular process, like passport renewal or authentication of documents, being availed of by their Filipino HSWs. Saudi employers usually accompany the Filipino HSWs who comes to the Consulate for some service. The interview of Saudi employers in Jeddah began on 5 April 2018.
Social Welfare Attaché Razon interviewing one of the Saudi employers
The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah implemented this program in light of the steady flow of reports from HSWs themselves and OFW advocates about untold abuses being committed by some Saudi employers against their Filipino workers. “I believe that one way of minimizing the incidence of abuses is to sensitize Saudi employers to the rights of HWSs in their employ, and to their responsibilities toward the latter through the interviews,” added Consul General Badajos. END
