There are millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) all over the world, many of whom are subject to abuses from their employers. This is what a new website developed by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) would like to help reduce.
Launched yesterday, the Migrant Recruitment Advisor is a TripAdvisor-inspired portal where OFWs can share their experiences living abroad with fellow migrant workers and rate their recruitment agencies.
The website, which is available in English and Filipino, includes lists of government-approved agencies from the Philippines.
It will also serve migrant workers from other countries and will include a list of agencies from Nepal, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.
“The Migrant Recruitment Advisor can help prospective Filipino migrant workers make [an] informed decision or choice by going through online reviews,” Khalid Hassan, a director at ILO Philippines said.
Agencies who will be tagged by the ILO as “fair” will be promoted, which could help OFWs choose a proper recruiter more easily.
Abuse experienced by OFWs was a hot topic earlier this year following the death of domestic worker Joanna Daniela Demafelis, whose body was found inside a freezer in Kuwait.
Her employers, Lebanese Nader Essam Assaf and his Syrian wife Mona Hassoun, were suspected of committing the crime and have been sentenced to death in Kuwait. However, Assaf is in the custody of Lebanese authorities while Hassoun is in Syria.
More recently, many have also spoken out against Kuwaiti social media influencer Sondos Alqattan who in a video said that she is against providing Filipino domestic workers days off and allowing them to keep their passports.
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