If you ask a Filipino domestic worker in Saudi Arabia about his or her rights, the answer you will get will either be a deep silence or a violent reaction. Well, how can we blame them? Out of the need for his family to survive in Philippines, Filipino domestic workers set aside hardships and inhumane treatments from their employers. Because of this, it’s either they will be stunned to silence or they will be forced to extreme anger.

Domestic helpers in KSA are usually denied of their rights as workers. They have no weekly day offs, no work hour limits and no overtime pay. Based on the 2008 Human Rights Watch report, domestic helpers in Saudi Arabia work 18 hours per day, 7 days a week and have little power to collect owed ages in labor disputes. There are even issues of unpaid wages ranging from few months to several years.

Aside from these sadistic treatments, domestic workers were restricted to their workplaces, sometimes locked in and forbidden to leave.

The good news now is that a bill was passed which is intended to improve the condition of domestic workers in the kingdom. Included in the bill is that employers should give domestic workers at least 9 hours of rest everyday, rest breaks and suitable accommodation.

However, the bill which was passed by the Shura Council contains vague provisions that would make domestic workers still vulnerable to abuse. The HRW cited the provision that would require a worker to obey the employers’ orders and prohibit him or her from leaving the place of employment without a legitimate reason.

Another burden for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, as cited by HRW, is the restrictive visa sponsorship (kafala) system where a worker’s visa and legal status is tied to her employer. The sponsor bears responsibility for the worker’s recruitment fees, completion of medical exams, and possession of an iqama, or national identity card. The sponsor or employer therefore controls the worker if he or she can transfer employment or get an exit visa to leave the country. Some employers take advantage of this kafala system by forcing domestic workers to continue working against their will or even forbid them from going home to their countries of origin.

The HRW’s Women Rights Division is hoping that the king and the Cabinet will carefully review the bill and “remove the flawed provisions and make sure that the final law can stand up to international scrutiny.”

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More job opportunities await Filipinos in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The KSA Ministry of Health (MoH) is in need of additional 1,600 healthcare workers. These recent job opportunities are different from the announcement of POEA last month regarding the need of KSA MoH for 1,000 nursing job vacancies.

The Job Openings are:

• Female Specialized Nurses (500)

• Female Assistant Pharmacists (200)

• Female Physiotherapists (200)

• Female Dental Assistants (200)

• Female Medical Technologists (200)

• Specialists (100)

• General Practitioners (100)

• Respiratory Therapists (100)

Requirements:

• Applicants should be not more than 45 years old.

• Those applying for general nurses should have at least 1 year hospital work experience.

• Those applying for specialized nurses should have at least 2 years hospital work experience.

Benefits:

• Annual paid vacation

• Free round-trip economy ticket

• Housing and transportation allowance

• Yearly renewal of contract

How to Apply

1. Apply personally at the Manpower Registry Division, Window M, Ground Floor, Blas F. Ople Building (formerly POEA Bldg.), Ortigas Avenue corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City.
2. Bring the following:

• Detailed resume with job description

• School credentials

• Employment certificates

• Passport copy

• Two pieces 2X2 recent picture

Applicants can also register online at the POEA website or at www.eregister.poea.gov.ph. Online applicants will be asked to present original documents for authentication.

August 26, 2009 will be the deadline for the submission of applications.

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As an OFW working here in Kuwait, I have heard about Kuwaitization but it doesn’t bother me so much because first of all, the Kuwaitization program hasn’t extended to national degree and only involves some big companies. Secondly, I know for sure that Kuwait will not survive without the foreign expatriates including Filipinos. Leaving them on their own to sustain their economy will be a disaster.

We have heard about Kuwaitization, Emiratization, Omanization and Qatarization but one thing that will surely grab our attention is the revival of the Saudization. This is nothing new and has been implemented for years and was recently being pushed through – again -  because of the surge of unemployment among locals. But knowing that Saudi Arabia is the biggest employer of Overseas Filipino Workers in an estimated 1.3 million OFWs, should this be a cause for alarm? Are we OFWs threatened?

According to the leader of the “Saudi Arabia is only for Saudis”, the Labor Ministry should strictly enforce the Labor Law which states that employment is the right of every Saudi national and local employers should only hire foreign expatriates in “rare specializations.”

However, many believe that the revival of Saudization will not have an impact among Filipino migrant community which are mostly coming from construction, health care and household services. First, only few Saudi nationals are qualified for the jobs that are already held by foreign expatriates. So, can they fill the gap?

Secondly, Saudi nationals can’t imagine life without Filipinos. One Arab journalist wrote an article last year entitled “Imagine a world without Filipinos.” He said that Saudi employers depend so much on Filipinos that living without them would be very difficult. “Disaster would happen,” according to him. ” We could die a slow death if Filipinos chose to leave us,” he added. Another Saudi employer in Jeddah also said that losing Filipinos is like losing his limbs.

How should our government react regarding this issue? Should they still be confident enough that OFWs in Saudi Arabia will not be affected by this so-called revival of Saudization policy and maintain no action? Imagine if this Saudization will be successfully carried on by the KSA government, what will happen to hundreds of thousands of OFWs who will be possibly affected?

Maybe it is time for the government to act now or else, we will be caught off-guard by these developments in the future. Relying only on deploying Filipino workers on other countries and depending on their remittances as a solution to our economic challenges may not be the best idea.

Another interesting topic here is what are we, Filipinos, doing in order to maintain the positive outlook that other nationalities have on us? How are we maintaining our advantages while competing against other foreign workers? Saudi employers enumerated some reasons why they like Filipinos and it is up for us, individual Filipinos, to act on it by maintaining these plus factors or enhance it even more.

Fluency in English. (This may be our advantage years back but on my personal opinion, our fluency and competency in English is fast declining. Our education program has steadily declined over the years and our teachers are leaving the country to teach and work abroad.)

Technical training in the early stages of education. (We are still world-class when it comes to technical competency. We owe it to the fact that our trade schools still produce world-class and highly-competitive technical and skilled professionals. I just hope that the competitiveness of our technical vocational and trade schools will not be affected by the tempt of commercialization.)

Early education at home with family as primary trainer and motivator. (A tree will bears its own fruit. An apple tree will not give you mangoes but of course – apples. Filipinos are known to be family-oriented individuals. I just hope that Filipino parents continue feeding them of valuable lessons of life. Doing this will mean upbringing responsible Filipino individuals and positive role-models for the local community and to the whole world.)

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Although not yet publicly issued, OFWs particularly those travelling to Saudi Arabia should be advised regarding the new rule being imposed in KSA airports on carrying of electronic devices.

According to the new rule, all electronic devices will be submitted for checkup before immigration section. It will include mobile phones with camera and memory card, flash disks, external hard drive, computers, iPod, iTouch and mp3 players with memory cards. Electronic devices with nude pictures will be confiscated immediately but there will be no fines. Refusal though could result to jail and deportation.

According to sources, these rules are being applied already in the airports of Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah. Aside from nude pictures, computers with pirated software will also be confiscated.

A special USB device will be inserted into your electronic device while being checked in the immigration section. This USB device will scan all videos and pictures from your device and will be recorded into the main computer for checking. This special device, according to sources, was invented by a Filipino.

True or not, it is important for us, OFWs, to watch out for these new rules on KSA airports. I’m sure we don’t want inconveniences because of our ignorance. Besides, it’s not our loss if we follow these rules in anticipation that this news could be true and could possibly happen.

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New regulations were imposed by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation or GACA regarding the prohibitions on carrying items in travelers’ hand luggage. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs or DFA, these new regulations are being imposed in compliance with international civil aviation safety conditions.

Drinks, juices, perfumes, oils, cosmetics and toothpaste are no longer allowed to be in the hand luggage.

The new regulations cover the airports of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah. The DFA report also said that “travelers departing from airports of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah are now prohibited from carrying liquids, gelatinous and compressed materials exceeding 100 milliliters in glass, plastic or metallic containers in their hand luggage.”

Filipino expatriates should be aware of these new regulations in order to avoid any unnecessary inconveniences when traveling through the airports of Saudi Arabia.

Only items such as baby milk, medicines for patients and other humanitarian needs will be allowed by security personnel at the airports.

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As an expatriate, we will be interested on what absconding is and what effect does it have on expatriates who have fled or run away from their employers or authorities.

To abscond means to depart in a sudden and secret manner especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution. Before, an absconding case or report could be cancelled if a runaway worker paid the penalty with the immigration department. After settlement, the worker can then transfer to another employer or apply for an exit visa in order to leave the country legally and still have the option to return.

This could still be the case in other countries. But OFWs are being warned by the Philippine government thru the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a new immigration rule blacklisting foreign workers that are reported by their employers to have run away. This new policy will make runaway workers more vulnerable to deportation. Once deported, they no longer have any chance of returning to Saudi Arabia to work.

On the other side of this, some foreign workers who want to leave KSA could run away from their employers so they could be sent home immediately. It has been said that the processing is faster and those picked up by the Immigration department for deportation could be sent home in about three days. And this is what’s being done by some OFWs. Aside from staying at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA shelter in Jeddah, some OFWs intently left the shelter and joined other foreign workers staying in an overpass in Khandara District hoping that Immigration officials would arrest and deport them.

Based on statistics, an estimated 20,000 undocumented Filipinos are working in Saudi Arabia.

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The MINISTRY OF HEALTH in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is in urgent need of female nurses.

Employer: Ministry of Health

Worksite: KSA

Classification: Government

(1000) FEMALE NURSES

QUALIFICATIONS

• BSN Graduate / Licensed

• With at least one year hospital experience

• Not more than 45 years of age

Walk-in applicants will be entertained at SRO on June 15-19, 2009

BENEFITS

• Annual paid vacation

• Free round trip economy ticket

• With housing and transportation allowance

• Yearly renewal of contract

QUALIFIED APPLICANTS may personally submit a detailed resume with job description, school credentials, employment certificates, passport copy and two (2) pieces 2X2 recent picture at the Manpower Registry Division, Window M, Ground Floor, Blas F. Ople Building (Formerly POEA Bldg.), Ortigas Avenue corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City or REGISTER ONLINE at www.poea.gov.ph or www.eregister.poea.gov.ph

Present original documents, if submitting requirements personally. Those who will register online will be asked to present original documents for authentication of written information before forwarding the resume to the employer.

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According to Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Saudi Ministry of Finance in Riyadh urgently needs male architects (3) and and electrical (3) and communications (3) engineers.

Applicants must be BS graduates or its equivalent and must be licensed, not more than 50 years old, and must have eight to 10 years work experience.

Benefits will include annual paid vacations, free round trip economy tickets, housing and transportation allowance equivalent to two months’ salary, and annual renewal of contract. Salaries will be negotiable.

Qualified applicants may personally submit a detailed resumé with job description, school credentials, employment certificates, passport copy, and two pieces of recent 2×2 pictures at the Manpower Registry Division, Window M, Ground Floor, Blas F. Ople Building (formerly POEA Bldg.), Ortigas Avenue corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City.

They may also register online at the POEA website or at www.eregister.poea.gov.ph.

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The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) recently announced that a government hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has urgent vacancies for certain positions.

The employer will be the MINISTRY OF HEALTH – HOSPITAL OPERATION PROGRAMME, KING FAHAD MEDICAL CITY and they urgently need applicants for the following positions:

150 FEMALE NURSES (HEAD NURSE, CHARGE NURSE, STAFF NURSE 1 & 2 )

Qualifications:

• BSN Graduate; Licensed

• 9 years work experience for Head Nurse

• 7 years for Charge Nurse

• 5 years for Staff Nurse 1

• 3 years for Staff Nurse 2

• Not more than 45 years of age

60 RESPIRATORY TECHNICIANS I, II and RESPIRATORY ASST.

Qualifications:

• BS Graduate or 2 years certificate in Respiratory Therapy

• 2 – 8 years of work experience preferably in critical care

• Licensed (Male and Female), not more than 50 years of age

30 FEMALE MEDICAL SECRETARIES

Qualifications:

• BS in Secretarial course or Administration field

• 4 years work experience ( 3 years in medical institution)

• 25 – 35 years of age

• Knowledge in Microsoft office applications

• Typing skills of 40 w/m and fluency in English language

BENEFITS

• 35 days annual paid vacation

• Free round trip economy ticket

• With housing and transportation allowance equivalent to 2 months salary

• Yearly renewal of contract

Date of interview: June 8 – 11, 2009

QUALIFIED APPLICANTS may personally submit a detailed resume with job description, school credentials, employment certificates, passport copy and two (2) pieces 2X2 recent picture at the Manpower Registry Division, Window I, Ground Floor,Blas F. Ople Building (Formerly POEA Bldg.), Ortigas Avenue corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City

Or REGISTER ONLINE at www.poea.gov.ph or www.eregister.poea.gov.ph

Note: Present original documents, if submitting requirements personally. Those who will register online will be asked to present original documents for authentication of written information before forwarding the resume to the employer.

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The Saudi government has announced that Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs applying as domestic helper, baby sitter, nurse, flight attendant and family driver in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should be at least 21 years old.

The memorandum from the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the Manila to Philippine recruitment agencies also laid down new minimum age requirements for the following categories:

• Dressmakers, 30

• Barber and physical therapist, 35

• Salesman for textiles and ladies wear apparel shops, 40

These age limits are for strict compliance and manpower agencies believed that the new age limits are reasonable and for the good of Filipino workers.

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