Manila's announcement of a minimum age for domestic workers will have little effect on Filipino helpers in the city, as most employers prefer to hire older workers anyway, an employers' association said.
The Philippine government has raised the minimum age of domestic helpers seeking work abroad from 21 to 25, under a policy reform aimed at enhancing workers' protection. There are about 100,000 Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
The regulations, announced by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, will stop recruitment agencies from charging helpers placement fees. Workers have had to pay up to 100,000 pesos (HK$15,700) to recruiters, when the previous law allowed only the equivalent of one month's salary.
Newly elected chairman of the Employers of Overseas Domestic Helpers Association, Joseph Law, said he did not think Hong Kong was the target of the new policy, adding that helpers here were well-protected. 'The impact is minimal because age-wise, most of the employers in Hong Kong do not want to employ younger maids in their homes for obvious reasons. The working experience of someone who is 25 would be better.'
Dolores Balladares, chairwoman of United Filipinos in Hong Kong, welcomed the age restrictions but urged that younger workers already in Hong Kong be exempted. 'We have heard from several helpers who are worried as they are under 25 years old and will be renewing their contracts. In the Philippines, we heard that those who are under 25 are being turned back by recruitment agencies.'
Ms Balladares said she would like the ban on placement fees to be strictly enforced and wondered whether it could be implemented because of rampant abuse.