The Philippines and the United Arab Emirates today reached a historic agreement giving greater protection to Filipino household service workers, the labor department said.

At the conclusion of the two-day Joint Committee Meeting in Manila, it was also agreed that the country will resume deployment of HSWs to the Emirates effective end of the month. Deployment of HSWs to UAE has been suspended since 2014.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III hailed the agreement as a milestone in the government’s efforts to further protect Filipino overseas workers.

Read the full news release from DOLE: PH-UAE sign historic, new labor accord; deployment resumes March 31