CEDAW/C/PHI/Q/6/Add.1 environment, reasonable limitation of working hours, rest and leisure, freedom from sexual harassment in the workplace, and freedom from forced labor; 2. Processing of papers of household workers are required to be individually verified and authenticated contracts by the Philippine Overseas Labor Officers (POLO) and Philippine Embassy; 3. Bilateral Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding and on-site Marketing Missions negotiated from a position of strength, which guarantee instruments that provide some measure of protection for migrant women and warrant the conformance of both sending and receiving countries to relevant laws, rules and regulations, and terms of employment beneficial to the stance of migrant women; 4. Strong support and adherence to the Migrant Workers’ Act and Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act; 5. Setting eighteen years old as the minimum age requirement for young workers; 6. Welfare-based market development policy, upon which POEA strictly sets requirements for accreditation and regulation of recruitment agencies and promoters, scrutinizes employer’s background and credentials. 19. In its previous concluding comments, the Committee urged the State party to adopt a top-priority policy to create safe and protected jobs for women as a viable economic alternative to the current unemployment of women, their participation as subcontractors and, in the informal sector, as workers in free-trade zones, as well as prostitutes or overseas contract workers.3 Please indicate what legislative or other measures have been taken to implement this recommendation and to promote equal employment opportunities for women in both the formal and informal sectors. The MTPDP 2004 – 2010 stipulates that “labor policies shall be guided by the principles of providing decent and productive employment. This means that adequate income is generated, rights at work are protected, social protection is provided for, and participation in the democratic process is guaranteed through tripartism and social dialogues. It also means sufficient employment, where all workers have full access to income earning opportunities. Decent employment also entails the sustained improvement of workers’ personal capabilities through a capability building in competitive skills and positive work ethics. Apart from these, there are several legislative initiatives for the protection of workers. The Kasambahay (domestic workers) bill seeks to promote the welfare of the domestic workers by specifying number of hours of work, scope of work, remuneration and social benefits and protection that is due them. Said bill is certified as a priority of the Arroyo Administration. The Magna Carta for Women Bill pending in Congress provides the overall framework for the protection of women overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as indicated in the provisions that protect overseas workers from illegal recruitment and trafficking, discrimination in all work aspects and all forms of abuse, grant access to all support services and assistance, allow membership in legitimate __________________ 3 Ibid., para. 296. 19