MORE than 25,000 Filipino household service workers (HSWs) or domestic helpers may lose their jobs as a result of the travel ban imposed by the government against Hong Kong and Macau as part of Manila’s precautionary measures to contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019 nCoV ARD).

A total of 10, 000 returning HSWs and 15,000 newly contracted ones, according to recruitment authorities, would likely lose their jobs if the travel ban would not be lifted by the end of this month.