A new memorandum from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) added 44 overseas jobs to the current list of occupations classified under the low and semi-skilled category. The POEA said that Memorandum Circular No. 5 aims to strengthen the protection mechanism for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).   The said memorandum also makes the recruitment procedure and screening for the added jobs stricter. The rules of POEA said that OFWs whose jobs fall under the said category are required to go to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) first and have their individual employment contracts verified before it can be processed by the POEA.

In a circular dated June 15, 2009, POEA said, “All workers hired for [the listed] position[s] … will not be processed unless the individual employment contracts are verified by the POLO if bound for a country with no POLO presence."   However, in cases where the host country of the outbound OFWs has no POLO, one can go to the nearest POLO or Philippine Embassy to have their work contracts verified.   On the other hand the requirements for the issuance of exit clearances, individual employment contracts, processing requests, accomplished information sheets, employment visas or work permits; pre-departure orientation seminar certificates from the POEA, language orientation certificates from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and national certificates from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda) can be found at Memorandum Circular No. 6,

The new and stricter rules were created at a time of rising incidence of low and semi- skilled overseas workers that are being abused and exploited.   Here is the new list of low/semi-skilled female workers bound for all countries except Canada:

1. Aerobic instructress

2. Attendants (gasoline station, food)

3. Baker

4. Beader, embroider, dressmaker, sewer, cutter, seamstress

5. Beautician, beauty consultants, make-up artists, medicinal, manicurist, hairdresser, hairstylist, nail technician

6. Cashier

7. Chambermaid

8. Checker

9. Clerk

10. Cook

11. Customer service assistant

12. Dishwasher

13. Flower arranger/florist

14. Guest relations officer (GRO), receptionist

15. Helper

16. Janitress, cleaner

17. Kitchen helper

18. Laundry woman

19. Masseuse, reflexologist

20. Merchandiser

21. Poultry worker

22. Printer, canvasser

23. Public work, worker

24. Restaurant workers, amusement park worker

25. Sales representative

26. Saleslady, supermarket worker

27. Sandwich maker, sweet maker

28. Secretary

29. Service crew

30. Skin care specialist

31. Storekeeper

32. Telephone operator

33. Waitress

Low/semi-skilled male workers bound for Bahrain:

1. Bartender

2. Butcher

3. Carpenter

4. Liaison officer

5. Machine operator

6. Mason

7. Master cutter

8. Painter

9. Plumber

10. Room boy

11. Tailor