Migrant workers’ groups and local unions are proposing to increase the minimum age requirement for migrant workers to 23-years old.

A recent meeting attended by representatives from 20 migrant and workers’ groups and non-government organizations (NGOs) voted to make the minimum age requirement for migration to 23-years old from the existing 18-years old.

“It is crucial that we increase the minimum age kasi yung age 18 nagiging setback ito sa ating mga Pilipino....nagiging prone kasi sila (workers) to abuses, especially the women,’’ said Julius Cainglet, spokesperson of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW).

"Under our existing law, the minimum age requirement for migration is 23-years old... so ito dapat ang ma-achieve natin as international requirement,’’ he said.

Joshua Mata, spokesperson of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), said that raising the age requirement will be advantageous to employers or individuals hiring Filipino workers who are more mature and responsible workers.

But if the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention should not approve raising the age requirement, he said, “They could at least allow each country to impose on its own policies for age requirement for migration.”

The workers’ groups has met at Sulo Hotel in Quezon City to further the agenda of promoting decent work for workers and come up with a unified position on the ILO Convention for domestic workers.

The groups said they also wanted Congress to approve a bill recognizing domestic work and the rights of domestic workers to social protection.

“Batas Kasambahay” has been pending in Congress since 1996. It guarantees the rights of domestic workers to social protection benefits such as SSS and PhilHealth; right against involuntary servitude, debt bondage and trafficking; right to just and human treatment and educational opportunities, among others.

On August 11, Mata said the proposals of the workers will be presented during a summit of government, workers’ groups and employers.

He said the summit is a response to the ILO questionnaire about the possible drafting of a new international convention for domestic workers.

Cainglet said the Philippines is expected to reply to the ILO questionnaire before the regional conference on the ILO Convention for domestic workers’ advocacy from August 16 to 17.

"Domestic workers are no different from other types of workers. They should be entitled to all the rights and privileges enjoyed by factory workers and employees of big corporations. This is why we (workers) are responding to the call of the ILO,” he said.