Au pair placement has become booming business. It is an enterprise that has always called for tighter regulation on account of the human factors often neglected by placement agencies in their intensified competition for markets. 14 years ago, I co-wrote a research report entitled "The Philippine Policy to Ban the Placement of Filipina Au Pairs: An Unfortunate Mistake", which argued why the ban was ill-advised (a la using a sledge hammer to fix a problem that required only a screwdriver tool) and proffered an alternative policy approach regarding the placement of Filipina au pairs. When the government imposed the ban in November 1997, the then responsible officials were pretty adamant in their view that au pairs were exploited 'workers' as such and that drastic policy measures were needed to protect them, in keeping with the government's responsibility to ban the deployment of "Overseas Filipino Workers" to countries where they are exposed to extreme danger. With the abandonment of that view (better late than never) a protection- and promotion-oriented policy on au pairs - which is really diametrically opposed to a prohibition-oriented ban policy - can now be given substance and meaningfully implemented.
"“The new guidelines are meant to facilitate the departure of the au pairs and at the same time to provide them safety nets and protection,” the DFA said in a press statement. ...
"“Au pairs need not go through the DOLE or POEA procedures anymore, as they are not considered overseas Filipino workers (OFWs),” the DFA said.
"The ban on au pair was implemented in 1998 due to isolated cases of abuse of the system by some unscrupulous elements. In 2010, the ban was lifted for Switzerland, Norway and Denmark."
