President Rodrigo Duterte will visit Russia in October to sign an agreement that will allow the deployment of Filipino workers in that country, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Sunday.
He said he will be part of the delegation of President Rodrigo Duterte to Russia, while Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte will visit Russia on the first week of October at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“May lalagdaan kaming kasunduan, bilateral agreement tungkol sa domestic workers,” Bello told Super Radyo dzBB.
Once the agreement has been signed, they will prepare the implementing rules and regulations to pave the way for the deployment of Filipino workers to Russia, Bello said.
He said no limit has been set for the number of household service workers required by Russia.
“Wala naman pong limit na inilagay. Ang importante, bukas na ang Russia para sa mga Pilipinong household service worker,” he said.
The salary will be higher than the P3,500 minimum wage of domestic workers in Manila, Bello said.
The hiring will initially be government-to-government, then will be through agencies, Bello said.
“Pagdating sa deployment ng household service workers, marami-rami ‘yan, baka hindi kayanin ng POEA [Philippine Overseas Employment Administration],” he said.
Bello said employment agencies should ensure that no placement fee will be collected from household service workers, and that applicants will be at least 23 years old.
He advised those intending to work in Russia as household service workers to avail of training modules offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, such as those on care giving and housekeeping while the agreement and the IRR are still being worked out.