The deployment of Household Service Workers (HSW) across the globe continues to rise, reaching 275,093 domestic workers in 2016 despite the slowdown of some economies.
The figure represents an increase of 70 percent over 2015 figures of 194,973, according to recruitment consultant Manny Geslani.
There are approximately 11 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deployed in 170 countries, with 2.5 million in the Middle East (ME), led by Saudi Arabia with 1 million OFWs, followed by Japan, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.
Citing Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) figures, Geslani said demand remains very strong in the Middle East. The top ME destinations are Saudi Arabia, with 107,298 job openings; followed by Kuwait, 57,726; and Qatar with 27,877.
There was a noticeable demand surge in Hong Kong with 41,925 HSW hired in 2016 compared to 27,148 in 2015, or an increase of
65 percent.
Geslani said there is strong suspicion that Hong Kong travel agencies are trafficking some of the Filipino maids to China.
Meanwhile, total deployment of domestic workers from 1992 to 2016 has reached a total of more than 2 million, based on the record of LBS Recruitment Solutions.
Geslani said the number of hired domestic workers from 2009 to 2015 has reached 1.6 million. The combined total for 2015 and 2016 has reached 1,278,186 HSW.
On the other hand, foreign-owned recruitment agencies using Filipino dummies are easing out Filipino-owned agencies with their wide contacts in the Middle East, thus capturing most of the available applicants in Mindanao through the use of illegal agents.
Geslani said these foreign-owned agencies have recruited many applicants in Mindanao by using illegal agents who control many Muslim applicants. The agents reportedly get paid $500 for every applicant they recruit.
He added one agency is “buying” HSW applicants with passports at the rate of P20,000 to P30,000 per head, which is why they get many of the available Muslim women.
Geslani said local recruitment agencies have urged Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III to order an investigation. They also asked the POEA Officer in Charge Bernard Olalia to look into the proliferation of local agencies with foreign ownership connection.
It was revealed that the foreign backers who are mostly Middle East personalities control these agencies. Some of the operators have reportedly married Filipino nationals to gain permanent residency and continue doing their lucrative business.