The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today gave assurance that it is taking positive steps to address the reported decline in the hiring of Filipino domestic helpers (DHs) by Hong Kong employers due to stiff competition posed by the Indonesians.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas viewed the significant drop in the deployment of Filipino maids to Hong Kong as "saddening, but not alarming."

"POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) is looking into enhancing the training of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) who would seek employment in Hong Kong as domestic helpers," Sto. Tomas said in a statement.

The secretary said the program would include training the prospective DHs to Hong Kong in the Cantonese language as currently implemented by Indonesian labor authorities.

The training would be carried out in collaboration with the private recruitment agencies involved in OFW deployment to Hong Kong.

"The DOLE maintains its policy for the OFWs to compete on the basis of skills, not wages, including the low-end domestic work in Hong Kong. It cannot lower the wages of Filipino DHs to the level being received by the Indonesians," Sto. Tomas stressed.

She added that agencies in Hong Kong seeking accreditation with the POEA to be able to recruit Filipino DHs agree that with a buoyant economy, Hong Kong employers would "go back to hiring the ever-reliable Filipino workers."

Sto. Tomas also said the assertiveness of the Filipinos in Hong Kong is part of the government’s efforts to apprise them of their rights. "This cannot be compromised against the competition posed by the Indonesians who are receiving lower wages," she said.