MANILA: The Philippines has signed a new labor agreement with Qatar to protect the rights and welfare of Filipino domestic workers, its Department of Migrant Workers said on Friday.
The majority of over 2 million overseas Filipinos live and work in Gulf countries, most of whom are based in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Qatar employs around 250,000, who contribute about $900 million in annual remittance inflows to the Philippines.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac was in Doha earlier this week to discuss labor cooperation and the recruitment of Filipino workers with Qatari Minister of Labor Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al-Marri.
“An agreement for a unified contract for domestic workers has been reached. This is the first of its kind in Qatar,” Cacdac said on Friday.
Under the agreement, Filipino domestic workers in Qatar will be employed under a unified contract, in which employment terms are jointly recognized by both governments to ensure stronger protection and fair treatment.
