BEIRUT, Lebanon – The Philippine government and its counterpart in Lebanon signed a landmark agreement that will improve the process of recruitment and deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the country.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Labor Cooperation and Protocol in the recruitment and employment of Filipino household service workers was signed by Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and Lebanese Labor Minister Charbel Nahas.

“The signing of the two documents will pave the way for the lifting of the ban and within 30 days, both the Lebanese government and the Philippine government will exert its best efforts to have a mutually acceptable contract of employment for domestic helpers,” said Baldoz.

Baldoz said, “We hope that we will be able to assist our workers in regularizing their status here through the Memorandum of Understanding and Protocol”.

With the agreements signed, the ban on the deployment of OFWs to Lebanon-- which was imposed in 2006--will hopefully be lifted soon.

“It's very known now the Filipino people, our families, the Lebanese families especially as we said the mother workers, they need them too much because they know, their trustworthiness, good heart--that's why all the Lebanese families are so eager to see this ban is lifted,” said Hisham el Bourgi, president of the Syndicate of Owners of Recruitment Agencies in Lebanon.

Despite the ban, many Filipino victims of illegal recruitment still manage to slip into Lebanon to work.

An estimated 50,000 Filipinos are now in Lebanon. Since no concrete protection had been laid down before, majority of the OFWs experienced different kinds of abuse.

“We hope after the old experience especially all of us suffer from the illegal recruiters, especially the workers, they suffered too much during the last six years. Now, we hope this MOA will put a limit or to stop all the abusing, violence of their rights,” added el Bourgi.

The Protocol with Lebanon on the MOU on Labor Cooperation contains outstanding features that guarantee more protection and welfare for Filipino household service workers in Lebanon.

"It spells out the measures that the two countries will take to ensure that domestic workers to be employed in Lebanon once the ban is lifted will undergo the legal and correct processes in force and in effect in both countries," said Baldoz.

In a related development, the Philippine Association of Manpower Agencies for Lebanon and its counterpart, the Syndicate of the Owners of Recruitment Agencies in Lebanon, also signed a Memorandum of Agreement.

Under the agreement, the minimum salary for household service workers is set at US$400. Workers should also first undergo training before being deployed to Lebanon, and welfare and monitoring center tasked to focus on the human rights of Filipino workers will be set up in Lebanon.

“Marami talagang mga kasama nating mga Pilipino ang nandito kaya sa tingin naming napapanahon na i-lift ang ban. Ina-assure naman nila kami na lahat ng mga nakasulat sa kontrata ay kanilang susundin at inemphasize pa nga nila na gusto nila talaga ang mga Filipino workers. They've tried other nationals pero walang makakapantay sa mga Filipino workers sa galing, sa pag-aalaga at sa maraming bagay,” said Estrelita Hizon, president of the Philippine Association of Manpower Agencies for Lebanon. Maxxy Santiago, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau