The more than 300,000 Filipino workers in Hong Kong are generally safe amid growing political unrest, as long as their employers are protecting them, according to ACTS-OFW Coalition of Organizations.
ACTS-OFW made the statement after the Hong Kong police warned that violent anti-government protests that began in March have spiraled to “life-threatening level.”
“With respect to our household service workers in Hong Kong, their job security is fairly high. They are absolutely needed by their employers who are unable to work without domestic help and nannies around,” ACTS-OFW chairman Aniceto Bertiz III said.
“In extreme cases, if there are any Filipino workers somewhat exposed to potential dislocation, they might be those employed by international firms that may perhaps decide to get out of Hong Kong and move elsewhere, such as Singapore,” Bertiz said.
A considerable number of Filipino professionals also work in Hong Kong, mainly in information technology, engineering, finance and accounting, culinary and entertainment services, according to Bertiz.
“Filipinos in Hong Kong who are employed by firms in the travel and hospitality as well as retail trade sectors there might also be susceptible to possible job losses in severe cases,” Bertiz said.
On account of the turmoil created by the pro-democracy protests, Hong Kong is facing its first economic decline in a decade, with tourism and retail hardest hit, according to analysts.
“We would urge Filipinos in Hong Kong to stay out of harm’s way all the time, and to follow closely the guidance provided by Philippine diplomatic and labor offices,” Bertiz said.
Bertiz said Filipinos in Hong Kong – mostly household service workers – sent home via bank channels a total of $462.46 million (P23.82 billion) in cash from January to July this year, down marginally from the $467.13 million (P24.06 billion) they remitted in the same seven months in 2018.
In whole of 2018, they wired home a total of $845.15 million (P43.53 billion) in cash through banks, up 15 percent from the $735.19 million (P37.86 billion) they transferred in 2017, Bertiz said.