Philippine gov't to inspect Filipino domestic workers being traded in Singapore

The Philippine government ordered Wednesday to verify a report that foreign domestic workers, including Filipino household service workers (HSWs), were being put in display and made available for "purchase" at "discounted prices" in some shopping malls in Singapore.

With the report, Philippine Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said that Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Singapore headed by Labor Attache Vicente Cabe has suspended the accreditation of a foreign placement agency suspected of having been engaged in the so-called "discount on maids" marketing strategy.

She identified the suspended agency as Homekeeper Agency, one of two agencies alleged to be involved in the practice.

Citing the POLO report, she said the POLO had invited the manager of Homekeeper Agency to answer the allegation of treating their foreign household service workers like "commodities"and instructed them to bring to the Philippine Embassy the Filipino HSWs under their care for interview.

Baldoz has directed the POLO and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to coordinate their efforts in laying down stricter measures to protect Filipino domestic workers from practices that degrade human dignity, such as the so-called " discount on maids"marketing strategy practiced by foreign placement agencies in Singapore.