COTABATO CITY: Residents of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) applying for overseas jobs were warned by the region’s Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) against the direct hiring scheme, urging them to deal instead with legitimate recruitment agencies. The warning was issued over reports of rampant labor violations committed by employers mostly in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in the Middle East. The direct hiring scheme, however, prevents Philippine overseas labor officers from immediately responding to problems of workers because of the absence of a legitimate agency. Abdula noted that about 90 percent of welfare cases involving overseas household service workers cover maltreatment, sexual and physical abuses, as well as under-payment and non-payment of salaries. Data obtained from OWWA-ARMM showed that for July 2016, a total of 77 welfare cases involving five male company workers and 72 female household service overseas workers were recorded.

Source: Manila Times September 16, 2016 13:41 UTC