JEDDAH: The Philippine government has rejected reports that it is asking for higher wages for its domestic workers. It simply wants to have the minimum wage of $400 a month, first introduced in 2008 for all its workers across the world, to be implemented by the Saudi authorities, according to Vicente Cabe, labor attache at the Philippines Consulate in Jeddah. The dispute over wages began earlier this year after the Philippines demanded that its minimum monthly wage demand be implemented. The Philippine government also wanted further protection for its workers, including sponsors providing proof of earnings, pictures of family members and layouts of their houses. “There is no pay rise bid. It is not a new demand as it is being projected. The mandatory monthly wage of $400 has, in fact, been implemented in 2008,” said Cabe. ‘'The mandatory wage was set for all countries across the world, not just for Saudi Arabia.” He said the Philippines has not stopped issuing housemaid visas, it has only suspended processing of worker contracts. The Philippines said Friday that Saudi Arabia had rejected a demand to guarantee the $400 minimum wage for Filipina maids, temporarily closing down one of the largest labor markets for the struggling Asian nation. Cabe said that the Saudi government is questioning the salary and the contract criteria for housemaids. “Saudi Arabia wants to reduce wages up to $200 and wants to pay $10 for each weekend holiday — that is Friday. Four holidays will make it $40, which brings the total salary to $240,” he said. “The Saudi delegation that went earlier this month requested that the salary revert to the old $200 but the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) refused. Thus, the deployment suspension has remained,” he said. According to POEA figures, the Philippines deploys about 13,000 housemaids to Saudi Arabia every year. There are currently 100,000 to 200,000 Filipino domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. Cabe hopes that talks will resume again. “We have to sign a general memorandum, after which, we will start processing domestic workers' contracts again.”
