AMMAN, Jordan – Jordan and the Philippines agreed on Sunday to lift a two-month freeze on the employment of Filipino household workers in the kingdom, following allegations of abuse which Amman has denied."The two sides have agreed on the freeze, but reached an agreement to end it around two or three days ago," Jordanian Labor Minister Bassem Salem told Agence France-Presse. In January, the Philippine government said it had stopped sending Filipino workers to Jordan due to a rising number of abuses, including non-payment of wages, maltreatment and even rape. Salem denied the allegations and said, "The issue had nothing do with abuse claims. It was about a number of domestic helpers, who had problems related to their residency, and we tried to help them return to their country." "A joint committee has been formed and we have set certain measures for recruitment and to address other issues," he added. But Philippines Ambassador Julius D. Torres insisted that "there have been cases of abuse" in Jordan. "More than 200 Filipino domestic workers have sought shelter at a special centre, complaining of abuse by their employers... this is not good," he told AFP. "We are very optimistic... and trying to eliminate cases of abuse," he added. Torres said Filipino household workers are expected to resume work in Jordan by the end of April. "We will meet again (with the Jordanian side) to put what we have agreed on in writing... I am sure our Labour Ministry in the Philippines will agree to lift the suspension," Torres said. He also complained that "some employers let the (work and residency) permits expire and never renew them, so the workers are forced to pay a lot of money because of their overstay." "We have agreed to cooperate... for the good of the industry and for the benefit of the employers, as well as the workers. We have been promised certain guarantees to remedy the situation," he added. The two countries have also agreed that Filipino domestic workers should earn at least 400 dollars a month, instead of the current monthly wages of 150 dollars, the ambassador said. "That's the general policy of the Philippine government, not only for Jordan," said Torres. Some eight million Filipinos, or nearly a 10th of the population, work abroad, including around 15,000 in Jordan. The remittances they send home are a major pillar of the domestic economy. | 
