NASSAU, Bahamas — The Philippines wants to enter into a labor agreement with The Bahamas to ensure the well-being and protection of Filipino workers in this country, according to an article posted to The Manila Times’ website, The Nassau Guardian reported on Tuesday, March 28, in an article written by Chester Robards.
According to the article, about 2,000 Filipinos work in The Bahamas, in areas such as healthcare, household services, hospitality, accounting, education and ship repair.
The article explains that Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez recently met with Prime Minister Philip Davis in Nassau “to discuss issues of mutual concern such as climate change and disaster mitigation”.
The article further states that Romualdez revealed in a statement that he and Davis discussed a possible memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would add a layer of protection for Filipino workers.
“They also tackled safety and security in international shipping, protection of the marine environment, as well as enhanced trade and investment between the Philippines and The Bahamas,” the article said.
“Romualdez had proposed the drafting of a government-to-government MoU ‘to institutionalize the recruitment of Filipino workers through a bilateral labor cooperation framework.”
According to the article, the prime minister and ambassador were also concerned about mitigating illegal recruitment, which is considered a trafficking in persons crime in The Bahamas”.
“During their bilateral meeting, both officials expressed interest to explore ways to further strengthen bilateral labor cooperation,” the article said.
The article also explains that in 2021, trade between the Philippines and The Bahamas reached $443,479, with exports to The Bahamas amounting to $441,859 and exports to the Philippines at $1,620.
The Manila Times said the meeting between Davis and Romualdez was held after the ambassador presented his credentials to Governor General Cornelius Smith.
See article in The Nassau Guardian at https://thenassauguardian.com/philippines-bahamas-discuss-mou-to-protect-filipino-workers/
