This, according to a study by the overseas-worker advocacy group Scalabrini Migration Center, made in collaboration with the state-owned think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). The study, titled “Protecting Filipino Transnational Domestic Workers: Government Regulations and Their Outcomes,” surveyed 2,111 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and showed that only about half of the respondents, or 49.3 percent, said their agency explained their work contract to them; the other half said no such explanation has been provided them.
About 57 percent of the respondents were able to read their contracts, while 43 percent had not read theirs, including a few who had read only certain portions.
“Knowing the right information is crucial to workers’ empowerment, particularly because they will have to engage with recruiters, employers and authorities in the course of the migration process. This means that policies should be properly communicated to stakeholders, particularly to workers and prospective workers,” the study said.
Many also said they do not have information about their employers. Data showed that while 65.2 percent said they had information about their employers, about a third, or 34.8 percent, did not know anything about them.
Also, in terms of salary expectations, the study noted that only 13.5 percent of the respondents answered the correct or closest approximation of the minimum salary, which is pegged at $400, or around P17,000 to P17,999 per month.
In terms of working hours, majority, or around 40.7 percent, did not have an idea of the prescribed length of working hours. The study noted that only 23 percent mentioned eight hours, 16.7 percent reported more than eight hours, and 17.2 percent said the number of hours depended on the employer, or it was not definite, or for as long as there was work to do.
The study also stated that most migrant workers could not keep a cell phone or did not know they could keep one. Only 36.2 percent knew they could keep or own a cell phone while employed abroad.
Most of the respondents also could not keep their passports or did not know they should not surrender these to their employers. Only 28.5 percent said they knew they could keep their passports.
“Based on the respondents’ understanding of the provisions of their contract, data suggest that workers leave considerable discretion to their employers to define the terms of their contract. Considering that they had completed PDOS [predeparture orientation seminar] when the interviews were conducted, their responses imply that the right message did not really sink into the consciousness of departing workers,” the study noted.
The study also found that the government had not been properly enforcing regulations aimed at protecting overseas workers and ensuring increased protection that would not restrict their deployment.
This is important since most, or 58.8 percent of the respondents, said they would run to the Philippine Embassy if they encountered problems with their employment abroad.
At least 18.5 percent of the respondents would run to the employment agency in their destination country, while only 11.8 percent would turn to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
“The other choices—relatives and friends in the destination, relatives and friends in the Philippines, recruitment agency in the Philippines, and others—comprised 10.9 percent,” the study noted.
