underpayment of salary. The opening of a bank account for domestic workers has yet to happen due to the absence of implementing guidelines for the bilateral agreement with the KSA. The same focus group found that six out of eight individuals were not allowed the use of their cell phones while employed as HSWs in the KSA. The majority had their cellular phones taken away by the employer upon arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.40 The environment of HSWs is often highly restrictive and such an environment compromises the use of the hotline. Moreover, the same Facebook survey by Patnubay found that HSWs who call the hotline are first asked for their iqama number which they either do not have or do not know. The operator then recommends that the HSW go to the Saudi Labor office.41 This is near to impossible due to restrictions on movement and due to the far distance of the office. We urge the CEDAW committee to include the following in the list of issues and questions: 1. Inquire on the status of the implementing guidelines including clear provisions for information dissemination and for monitoring and review of the agreement, ensuring that both KSA-bound HSWs and their employers are properly informed of the contents, their respective responsibilities and obligations 2. For government to conduct an information campaign and to include it (the BLA) in the pre-departure orientation (PDOS) for KSA-bound HSWs, as well as to make arrangements for post-arrival orientation (PAOS) for HSWs upon arrival in KSA; similarly, what will be the measures to ensure that employers are informed and are compliant with the BLA provisions? 3. In general, BLAs and other multilateral agreements on labor migration must be gender-sensitive and framed within a human-rights perspective. Corollary, the State reported that twenty bilateral agreements were reviewed. What bilateral agreements were reviewed? Which of these pertained to female migrant workers, in particular, those employed in domestic work or in other sectors of low skilled employment? 4. On Measures to Protect Women Migrant Workers (para. 84- para. 90) (Article 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, GR 26, GR 33) 4.1 Issue In spite of policies intended to better protect and prepare domestic workers for work abroad through predeparture orientations and trainings, violations and abuses continue to persist. Domestic workers continue to leave the country lacking the information to capacitate them to to protect themselves. Certain rights for domestic workers are not being communicated or reinforced prior to leaving the country, such as rights regarding the freedom of association and regarding access to justice and redress mechanism. 4.2 Government Action The Philippines under Republic Act 10022 asserts that it will only deploy Filipino migrant workers to countries where the rights of migrants are protected either through existing national labor and social laws, or that they are parties to multilateral human and labor rights treaties or they forged bilateral labor agreements with the Philippines. Provided further that the destination country is taking positive concrete measures to protect migrant workers. Moreover, in the pursuit of national interest and pulic welfare, the Philippine government may at any time, ban or terminate the deployment of migrant workers42 Additionally, the Philippines instituted the 2007 HSW Policy Reform Package. The package included; minimum age requirement of twenty-three; no placement fee; minimum salary of $400 USD; NC II assessment and certification; 40 41 42 Ibid. Ibid. Republic Act 10022, Sections 3 and 4. July 2010 8 of 12