Time to institute strict policies in the hiring of Filipina domestic helpers in foreign countries

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=418240411637968&pnref=story

I uploaded the video from Free Middle East shared by former Cong. Ching Plaza, a colleague of mine in the 8th -10th Congress. It shows the brutal beating of a female domestic helper by a Saudi family.

I say it is time to review and make drastic revisions in our policies in sending domestic helpers for employment in foreign countries. As I said in my comment in the thread that while we benefit in sending professionals and skilled workers abroad who come back with enhanced skills and knowledge, thus bringing back added value to our country, e.g.ordinary steel welders being trained for TIG or special alloy welding, nurses learning new practices in modern hospitals and engineers getting experience from say, Bechtel, Fluor, etc., or factory workers in Taiwan, there is no redeeming value we get from sending our mothers and sisters to scrub floors in foreign families' homes whether in the Middle East or Hongkong. Worse, our teachers do not enhance their knowledge and skills but get dumbed down from scrubbing floors or cleaning toilets in foreigners' houses abroad. True, those who suffer cruelties may belong to the minority and they contribute to our forex earnings but even just one incident such as the one we have seen will negate whatever benefits we get. Remember Flor Contemplacion? That was not even a case of abuse but execution after court proceedings. Yet it caused a national trauma. And how many cases happen that do not get to the screen? Rape and molestation, burns from flat irons, and escapes by jumping off from windows? But if we cannot immediately put a stop to it, we should at least do a rigid screening of the foreign families that hire domestics. Can that be done by POEA in cooperation with the governments of countries that hire? I know that DSWD and other agencies do a strict screening of families, especially, foreigners who want to adopt children. So strict, in fact, that many couples give up and go back home without any adopted child. How about instituting such policies?

Sinagtala Tanawin sa Bataan

                                                    TANAWIN RESIDENCE

Tanawin is the Tagalog word for “ view”- very apt for this bed and breakfast's titular reason: its scenery.  Each one of the seven bedrooms has a unique visual access to the outdoors through various balconies and wide, low sill windows. Manila Bay and the fishponds of northern Bataan and Pampanga present a panoramic view with Mt. Arayat standing alone on the eastern horizon. To the north is the Zambalez mountain range where Mt. Pinatubo looms large and watches like a mother over the conical baby volcano-Mt. Malasimbu.  Westward is the Bataan mountain range where Mt. Natib towers over the other volcanoes. Indeed, one can view from Tanawin the ring of fire that surrounds Sinagtala.   

Tanawin is a short walk to the Clubhouse and pool area but isolated enough to be ideal for family reunions, corporate seminars, team building activities and yoga retreats. Perfect for large groups of 15 - 18 people, the main house has three large bedrooms, two adjoining with lofts, accommodating up to six people per room.  It includes a full-service kitchen, dining area, spacious lounge area, a garden dining setting under a trellis and a captivating split- level  view deck. The roofed view deck is a multipurpose platform for dining, meeting or yoga/meditation. The open roof-deck  is ideal for sunset cocktails and evening star gazing and meteor shower watching. Without dust or light pollution, one can almost pluck bright low hanging stars.  A guest has once counted 40 meteors in an hour during a night of meteor showers.

 The annex holds an additional two bedrooms, each with a six-person capacity.  These rooms can be rented out to smaller groups or can be joined with the main house to accommodate even larger groups of up to 29 people for P29,000 .   The rate for the main house only, which accommodates 15 - 17 guests, is PHP 17,000 per night. Individual rooms at the main house can also be rented at P5,000 – P7,000 per night with access to kitchen and dining area.

The rate for each annex room with 6 pax capacity is PHP 4,400 per night.  

Tanawin provides free breakfast each morning and use of the full service kitchen.