Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac is set to sign an order on Friday that will increase the minimum wage of Filipino domestic workers.

Cacdac announced that the salary of Filipino domestic workers will be raised to USD 500 (around P28,000) from the current USD 400 (P22,000).

The USD 400 salary has been in effect since 2006 under the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Governing Board Resolution No. 5.

Cacdac clarified that the increase only sets the minimum or ‘floor’ wage, and that higher rates are still possible depending on the host country.

“There can be a higher wage rate, of course, depending on the host country, but this is a step that will establish a floor level. The basis of this is our consultations with our stakeholders,” the DMW secretary said.

He added that consultations on the increase took six months. However, he admitted that implementing the new rate will be challenging for undocumented workers since the policy covers those who went through the DMW process. Despite this, Cacdac hopes the measure will encourage more workers to go through proper documentation.

The DMW secretary said consultations regarding the USD 100 monthly wage increase took six months. However, he admitted that this would be challenging to implement yet among undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) because this will be imposed directly on workers who went through the processes established by DMW, but hopes that this measure enhances documentation of overseas workers.

The salary adjustment forms part of seven enhanced reforms for Filipino domestic workers.

Beyond pay

The reforms follow issues raised by Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chairperson Raffy Tulfo last 13 August on persistent cases of abuse against OFWs. He had earlier warned the DMW of a possible budget cut if cases of abuse against OFWs persist.

Among new measures is the mandatory “Know Your Employer” protocol which requires Filipinos to hold a video conference with their employers before their deployment.

Another is the “Kumusta Kabayan” digital welfare monitoring system, a mobile application where OFWs can check in using their verified email and answer welfare questions with a happy or sad face.

DMW Undersecretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay said the initiative began two to three months ago in Kuwait and Israel. It had already passed vulnerability tests and received necessary permits though it remains in the testing phase.

So far, around 20,000 OFWs have been connected with the application with most responses being positive, although there was a case flagged for intervention.

“Our agent followed up on her, and it turned out she had already returned to the country but still needed help from us,” Tutay recounted.

Other reforms in the order include strengthened reskilling, upskilling, and career mobility programs; stricter standards for recruitment agency accommodations, whitelisting, and legal assistance.

Recruitment agencies will be given a 60-day transition period after its signing to comply.