The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has rolled out new guidelines to bolster the safety of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), focusing on those in high-risk jobs. These guidelines are part of a whitelisting policy that restricts the deployment of workers to only those recruitment agencies that have demonstrated a solid performance history.
During a recent press conference, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac emphasized the importance of this policy, stating, ‘We are committed to ensuring that only agencies with a proven track record can send domestic workers overseas.’ The policy is detailed in Memorandum Circular 4, series of 2024, which was introduced by DMW Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication Bernard Olalia.
Olalia highlighted that the whitelisting policy is a critical component of the DMW’s strategy to safeguard the rights, safety, and welfare of Filipino migrant workers. ‘This system ensures that the deployment of OFWs, especially those in vulnerable positions like domestic work, is conducted with their rights and well-being in mind,’ he explained.
Under this system, recruitment agencies must adhere to stringent standards to be eligible for the whitelist. The policy establishes a regulatory framework that ensures accountability, allowing only agencies with ethical practices and a history of compliance with worker protection laws to operate.
The guidelines mandate that both private recruitment agencies (PRAs) and foreign recruitment agencies (FRAs) take steps to protect migrant workers’ rights. This includes setting up welfare desk officers within agencies to oversee the safety and well-being of workers sent abroad.
Olalia warned that any agency found breaching DMW standards could face severe penalties, including being removed from the whitelist. The policy also emphasizes the need for fair and ethical recruitment practices, requiring foreign agencies to provide safe working conditions and gender-responsive staffing.
This initiative is designed to tackle issues like human trafficking and exploitation by enforcing high ethical standards among recruitment agencies. Currently, 432 PRAs and 573 FRAs are approved for deployment to Saudi Arabia, while 183 PRAs and 184 FRAs are authorized for Kuwait. The DMW plans to expand this system to other key labor markets such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Secretary Cacdac noted that the whitelisting system was initially proposed by the late DMW secretary Toots Ople, underscoring its significance in protecting Filipino workers abroad.