RP cool to KL proposal on maids

RP cool to KL proposal on maids

MANILA (AFP): A Philippine labor official yesterday expressed
apprehension over a Malaysian proposal to raise hiring fees and
age limits for Filipino domestic helpers.

"There is abundant domestic help which have been deployed.
What will you do with all these," said Philippine Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) head Wilhelm Soriano,
hinting that it could add to the ranks of the unemployed here.

Earlier, Malaysia recommended that employers wanting to hire
maids from the Philippines would have to pay 5,000 ringgit
(US$2,000) instead of the current 1,000 ringgit.

They also suggested that the age requirement be increased by
10 years to a minimum of 35, to prevent young domestics from
moonlighting in nightclubs.

Under Philippine labor laws, the minimum age requirement for
Filipinos seeking employment as domestic help is 25, Soriano
said.