PH recruitment firms ordered to monitor OFWs status in HK

“Initial reports shall be submitted to the POEA Welfare and Employment Office (WEO) at weo@poea.gov.ph immediately and every Thursday on a weekly basis, thereafter,” it added. (File Photo: Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)/Facebook)

MANILA — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has directed all recruitment agencies, which are deploying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong, to monitor the status of their workers – in connection with the continuing protest actions in the Chinese territory.

“All Philippine Recruitment Agencies (PRAs) deploying Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) are advised to monitor the status of their deployed workers in view of the ongoing strikes there at,” according to Advisory No. 18, series of 2019 signed by POEA administrator Bernard Olalia and was released on Wednesday.

Likewise, the POEA ordered them to monitor and report the condition of the workers through an OFW Monitoring Form for Workers in Hong Kong.

They were also asked to submit initial reports to the agency’s Welfare and Employment Office (WEO) website every Thursday, as soon as possible.

“Initial reports shall be submitted to the POEA Welfare and Employment Office (WEO) at weo@poea.gov.ph immediately and every Thursday on a weekly basis, thereafter,” it added.

Hong Kong locals continue to hold demonstrations since March.

Government data show that there are more than 200,000 Filipino workers in the former British colony.

Majority of OFWs there are household service workers.

The protest actions stemmed from a proposed law that would allow extraditions to mainland China.