Loren assures Senate's ratification of ILO's convention for domestic helpers

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Loren Legarda, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on Thursday assured that the upper chamber would ratify the International Labor Organization (ILO)'s Convention 189 or the Decent Work for Domestic Workers’ Convention.

“I assure you that the Senate will ratify the ILO Convention 189 before the end of July, before the State of the Nation address,” Legarda said during the committee deliberations on the convention.

ILO Convention No. 189 is an international instrument that declares domestic work not as a favor to be granted but as an occupation to be protected. It details the universal rights of all domestic workers including those working overseas.

Currently, there are 1.9 million domestic workers in the Philippines and 1.5 million Filipino workers around the world.
 The Convention was adopted by the General Conference of the ILO on June 16, 2011 and was signed by President Benigno Aquino III last May 18, 2012. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations last June 6.

“Once the Convention is enacted, domestic workers will finally be able to legally ask for contracts describing their wage, work hours, days off, and other work terms and conditions, and the will be able to ask for minimum wage,” said Legarda.  

“The time has come for all of us to acknowledge the contributions of our household heroes into the global workforce. Once the Senate concurs in the ratification of this Convention and it enters into force, we will be able to ensure that our domestic workers will be equipped with the rights and benefits accorded to other workers,” the senator added. 

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