With only one week remaining before the Hong Kong Government releases its decision on the wage cut issue, the IBP-Committee on Filipino Migrant Workers’ Rights has added its weight to the calls not to cut the minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
Chairman of the Committee, Justice Romeo Capulong, described such a move as “exploitative, unjust and inhumane”. He stressed that domestic helpers in Hong Kong work an average of 16 hours a day, being on call for 24 hours. Most of the domestic helpers are women who endured the pain of being separated from their families and children to work in a foreign land. Often times, they are the victims of sexual harassment, physical abuse, maltreatment, among other subhuman practices.
Their wages are not even commensurate to their sacrifices and hardships.
Indeed, Asian countries are currently experiencing economic crisis brought about by globalization and its pillars - deregulation and privatization. But the domestic helpers, being among the lowest paid workers in Hong Kong should not be made to make the first sacrifices. Since they stand to suffer the most from the economic downturn, they must be given the maximum protection required.
Justice Capulong also criticized the Arroyo Government for its lack of fervency in opposing the wage cut. Instead of showing all-out support to the struggle of domestic helpers in Hong Kong, President Arroyo released a barrage of criticisms on the protest actions being undertaken by the domestic helpers in Hong Kong calling the said actions as “counter-productive”, “speculative” and “anticipatory”.
Justice Capulong urges President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stand firm for the migrants’ rights and well-being. “She should not forget that she was installed into power through the people’s protest actions.”
He added that ”President Arroyo always refer to the Filipino migrant workers as our modern day heroes. Now is the time for her to prove that she is not merely playing lip service to the migrant workers’ cause.”
Noting the growing issues and problems besetting the Filipino migrant workers today, the IBP created the Committee on Filipino Migrant Workers’ Rights to cater to the legal needs of Filipino migrant workers. This is in line with IBP’s thrust of discharging public and social responsibility.
The Committee will communicate with various lawyers’ groups and foreign bar associations to seek support for its programs for the Filipino migrant workers such as, among others, providing direct free legal services, conducting para-legal training, and writing a primer on the legal rights of Filipino migrant workers.
The Committee will also coordinate with various Filipino organizations abroad in lobbying for the protection and improvement of the rights and welfare of the Filipino migrant workers.