Phl, Qatar ink unified contract for household workers

The Philippines and Qatar have signed a landmark labor agreement establishing the first unified employment contract for Filipino household service workers, a move hailed as a breakthrough in protecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from abuse and unfair labor practices.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced Friday that the unified contract consolidates all employment terms into a single agreement jointly recognized by both Manila and Doha. This eliminates the long-standing problem of contract substitution that has left many domestic helpers vulnerable.

“Isang contract na lang ang tatanawin ng Qatari at Philippine sides. Ito ang makataong pagtrato sa ating OFW kasambahay,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said after meeting with Qatar Labor Minister Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri in Doha.

The contract guarantees key rights, including annual leave, weekly rest days, daily rest periods, fair wages, and access to justice through a clear complaints mechanism.

“This is to ensure our kasambahay in Qatar receive humane treatment and protection at every stage of their employment,” Cacdac stressed.

Qatar is home to more than 250,000 Filipinos, a significant number of whom are employed as household service workers. Cacdac said the new agreement fulfills President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen bilateral labor ties with host countries where many OFWs work.

The DMW said the deal guarantees that both countries honor the same set of provisions, ensuring the protection of Filipino household workers from recruitment to the end of their contracts.