Do not become a cheap slave!

A close friend of mine is working as a truck driver in Europe. Following the European law, every truck driver with age older then 50 has to complete in between 5 years five courses to improve his skills or else he will not have his driver license extended for again 5 years. His last course was about Analog and Digital tachograph and social legislation for truck driver.

Such courses are held from guys who really know, what they are talking about. He just complete this course and the guy in front was an Ex Policemen. Someone who was specializing in to check Truck driver. And now... here comes the news:

He was talking about the actually way, how to reduce the prices for truck driver because it is an expensive job and especially the guys from outside of Europe are always trying to find ways to earn some money. Even a small amount can do just to have an income. Since few years, he could experience Filipino on Trucks from Latvia. When they check that Trucks, they really become scared by the situation of the drivers: Living in the truck, don't have another place to stay, cooking and taking a shower often only next to the truck like doing camping, stressed from their boss to fulfill their job even there are rules they have to take care of when they are driving in Europe. The dispatcher is forcing them to drive instead of having a pause, driving too many hours on a daily base and so on.

The penalty for a truck driver for violating the rules can be solved sometimes by paying money (the driver has to pay the penalty!). But in some cases, it can end up by withdrawal of the driver license. And if such a poor Filipino will loose his driver license... what do you think, the boss will do? Terminate his contract and hire a new one. YES... and the Filipino OFW is jobless and in a foreign country without any home to stay.

The salary
Long time before, the Truck driver from Poland was known for earning a really low salary for their job. A German Truck driver has a salary, double from the guy from Poland. A Truck driver from Switzerland has the highest salary and it might be double from the German salary.

But the Filipino driver are driving/be hired for a salary, half of the Polish salary (if they are lucky ones!) Here some facts in EUR:

Switzerland: Converted from CHF to EUR might be 4.900 EUR
Germany: Might be monthly 2.400 EUR
Poland: A happy Trucker can receive a salary by 1.200 EUR (if ever)
and now... a Filipino driver in Latvia is working for a monthly salary by 500 - 600 EUR.

Conclusion and my tip for my fellow Filipinos with a driver license for a truck: Know basic facts about the standard salary BEFORE your think about to go abroad and working as a Truck driver. Don't let an agency cheat you!

At least, I've done some research before I was believing, what the friend was telling me and I found this old job offer

My first experience working as a domestic helper abroad

September 2007

First timer, full of courage, full of dreams, full of hopes but so nervous. This is me, this is what I feel the first time that I am on my way to a local agency where I apply for work as domestic helper. When I arrive in the agency office, I give my bio data and the copy of my passport to the staff. She ask few more question from me after she read my bio data. She ask me which country I am planning to go and work. That time I really don't have money so I choose Malaysia since I know that the placement fee is more lower than in Hong Kong. I ask how much do I need to pay and she told me only 6,000.00 pesos. But that amount is for the agency only. I still need to pay for my medical examination and of course my training in household course I also ask how much is my monthly salary in Malaysia and she say it is equivalent to 400.00 US dollar and it is stated there in the contract. I ask if I still need to pay in the agency aside from 6,000.00 pesos. She said no that is all you need to pay. Then she let me sign the contract and she told me she will call me once I already have employer.

Last week of October, I receive a call from my agency that the employer sign my contract already and I need to report in the office to sign my job order and to undergo the medical and physical examination. After I done all the requirements needed, my agency send me to Manila. I am from the province and their main office is there. In Manila, they send me to take my 3 weeks training program in household training. I need the certificate from my training because that is one of the requirements of the agency. After training, I need to attend a 3 days free seminar about language and culture familiarization in OWWA. I also need to go in TESDA for my assessment test, followed with the pregnancy test and lastly I need to attend a half day seminar for pre- departure orientation.

December 11, 2007

This is it. This is the day I was waiting for, that all my dreams will come true. I can give a better life for my family, I can send my three girls in school, I can buy them foods and I also can give them some material things that I know I really cannot give if I only stay here in the Philippines. When I arrive in Malaysia, the staff from Malaysian agency is the one who pick up me and the other Filipina from the airport. Because it is around 8:00 in the evening already we go straight to the house of the owner of the agency and sleep there that night.

The next day, the two of us go in our agents office. From there the staff accompany us in a clinic for follow up medical examination. Then back in the agents office and wait for our employer to pick us up. That night, I meet the family that I will serve for two years. But the very next day, my employer talk to me that I don't have day off because my day off is paid already together with my salary. The next thing is my salary, my employer told me that for the first six months, I will receive half of my salary only because I need to pay my six months salary deduction from my agency. I ask, how come that I have a six months salary deduction that my Philippine agency did not told me about that? I ask them before and they told me, I need to pay 6,000.00 pesos that's all. I ask if I still need to pay again they say no. Another worst thing is, my salary. In my contract my one month salary is equivalent to 400.00 US dollar but I receive 850 Ringgit (Malaysian dollar) equivalent of 200 US dollar only every month.

I send all the 400RM (4,600.00 pesos) to my family. But that is not enough. My eldest is first year in college, my second and my youngest girls is already in high school. My husband is jobless. What will I do that time? I am so hopeless. I call my agency here in Manila and ask them why I have a six months salary deduction when I arrive in Malaysia that they never told me about that while I am still in the Philippines? They say it is the agent in Malaysia ask for that payment. I also ask why in my contract my salary there is equivalent in 400 US dollar but I only receiving now 850 Malaysian Ringgit or 200 US dollar? The answer??? Malaysia is a Muslim country and they did not follow on what is in that contract.

I am tied up in my contract. I don't know what to do. I don't have day off . I don't have a chance to see and talk to other Filipina and ask what should I need to do. No cellphone, no one is there to give advice on how to deal in that situation.That is really the time that I feel so alone and lonely in that country. So far away from my Homeland. Moments like this, I need to hold on to my dreams. I need to think properly, I need to survive, to be strong to finish my 2 years contract. I still need to reach for my dreams. I really learn a lot of important lessons from my first experience abroad.

That before we go we need to study and learn what is in our contract We really need to learn our rights even if we are only a domestic helper. We need to show that to our employer. So even if we are only a domestic helper, if they see, if they know that we know our rights, they will respect us.

I stayed in Malaysia for two years without day off even only one day. December 11, 2009 after 2 years, I go back in the Philippines. And in my mind, my next destination is Hong Kong.

How to apply to work abroad

1. Passport

If you are planning to work as an Oversea Filipino Worker, the very first thing you need to have is a Passport. It is easy to go in any employment agencies if you have a ready passport.

2. Agency

Start to search for agencies and make sure that your chosen agency is the one who is accredited by the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration ( POEA ). You need to be aware that nowadays so many fake recruiters are active. All they want is your hard earned money.

Next, the agency will let you sign a bio data and a contract. They will also take a video from you. The agency will take your passport and they keep it. They will send that contract, video and your bio data in their tie-up agency in the country where you wish to work so they can find employer for you. The employer who come in that said agency will take a look in your video and bio data. If the employer will choose you, soon your agency here in Philippines will call you for the next step you need to do.

3. Training

As soon as the agency notify you that you are already hired, they will send you to a training center where you need to take up a 3 weeks course in NC ll. After 3 weeks you can have your training certificate. You also need to go in TESDA for your assessment test. (All of this, you really need to prepare, cost you a lot of money).

4. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)

The next step is you need to attend a language training and culture familiarization of the country you are going to work for three days in OWWA. (This is free).

5. Medical

You need to undergo also a medical examination. It includes mental and physical examination if you are FIT to WORK. And after all is clear and you are ready to fly, you still need to undergo a pregnancy test if you are a woman.

6.Pre- departure Orientation (PEDOS)

Three days before your flight will go you need to attend a pre- departure or PEDOS seminar. There, the trainer will teach you what to do once you arrive in the airport. Then same as what you need to do if you arrive in your destination. They also teach you how to act once you are in front of your employer. All of this you need to take notes because for me it is a very big help especially if you are first timer to go abroad.

In training, OWWA and PEDOS I learned a lot. They teach me to be strong mentally and emotionally. It makes me strengthen my hopes that I can survive thousands of miles away from home, alone and lonely.

Sharing experiences

Introduction
I am following several daily newspapers or internet services, spreading news and nearly every day I have to think by myself: I pity that guy. Why he/she did not know this? And then, I start to remember, when I was younger: I was also inexperienced and need to make a lot experiences to become that person, I am today.

And this is the initial idea why I decided to open this blog! I wanted to share my own experiences to help others. If I am able to help even only one person to find a good agency for work abroad... I am already happy.

When I can read about scam, torturing staff or bad experiences in Malaysia or other countries such like Hongkong or Saudi Arabia to name only few among where my fellow Filipinos are working, to serve their employer and sometimes in not really nice contract conditions... then it is time to do something against it. This blog should become a place to share experiences, blacklist bad agencies, wherever they are located, helping to find a good agency or a good work.