Aquino urged to lift au pairs ban in Netherlands

By Dheza Marie Aguilar, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Posted at 08/05/2010 7:25 PM | Updated as of 08/05/2010 7:25 PM

THE NETHERLANDS - Their stories might be a lingering stigma to the plight of Filipino migrant workers in the Netherlands but their collective woe has been a resounding call to the Philippine government.

With the election of Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino in Malacañang, au pairs (nannies) in the Netherlands hope that, this time, they will be heard.

In 1998, the Philippine government imposed a ban on Filipinas leaving the country as au pairs because of the reported cases of abuse of Filipina au pairs in Sweden. But this did not stop young Pinays from going to European countries under the au pair program.

In fact, the number has actually surged in recent years especially in countries like Denmark and Norway where 75% of au pairs are Filipinos.

Ideally, the au pair system is aimed at cultural exposure for young women in European countries. But the European Commission also allowed girls from other countries to join the program.

Under the au pair system, participants should only perform light household work. They are entitled to travel and weekend allowances and study of the host family’s language.

In the Netherlands, au pair hiring is allowed for girls between 18 and 25 years old. They are granted a maximum of one year stay.

Unfortunately, for a big number of Filipina au pairs, the system is not working to their advantage.

The City of RotterdamThe City of Rotterdam: Gateway to European Commerce

published in www.nidesk.net


Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands and a melting pot of culture and business. Sitting strategically in the banks of rivers Maas and Rhine, the city owns the biggest port in Europe and with two international airports, Schipol and Rotterdam Airport, in close proximity, Rotterdam has established its vital role in Europe’s trade and commerce. It is home to some of the biggest companies in Netherlands including Unilever and Mittal Steel Company N.V., subsidiary of the largest steel company in the world. Among these corporate giants, other businesses and multinationals especially from the banking sector like ABN AMRO and ING are holding offices in Rotterdam.

The key to its continuously booming business activities is the easily accessible modes transportation. Reliable railway systems and road services, in addition to its ports and airports, makes it convenient to transport consumer goods in and out of the country through Rotterdam. It is connected to 31 sister and partner ports around the world, including international business hubs like United States, Japan and China.

Beurs-WTC: The Ideal Business Hub

Published in www.nidesk.net 


Standing proudly at the heart of Rotterdam with its 23-story edifice, the Beurs-World Trade Center has been the hub and venue of choice for both local and international business events in Rotterdam.

Beurs-WTC Rotterdam was built in 1987 with a total floor space of 76,000 square meters devoted to office spaces, retail stores, congress and event spaces, distributed over high-rise and low-rise buildings. It also offers other services including catering, business center, a dentist, tailor and dry cleaner. A proof that it only offers the highest quality of service is the Certified Congress Company or Het Erkend Congressbedrijf, who gave it a 5 hammer award, the highest rating being given to a congress center.
“The Beurs-World Trade Center in Rotterdam can offer office spaces with a wide range of high quality services and accommodates 240 tenants. Because the building is a WTC, tenants have all sorts of advantages, like using the services of the 300 WTC is worldwide”, Jolande Huijers, managing director of Beurs-WTC.