MANILA - Tens of thousands of Filipinos will benefit under a new law on migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates, the department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

These include payment of wages within 10 days from the due date, 12 hours of rest per per day including 8 consecutive hours of rest, 1 paid rest day per week, 30 days of medial leave per year, medical insurance shouldered by the employer, a round trip ticket home every 2 years, decent accommodation and meals, and the right to retain their passports and personal documents, the DFA said.

It also bars the hiring of minors and the assignment of tasks that are not covered under the contract.

The new law covers housemaids, watchmen and security guards, chauffeurs, domestic laborers and housekeepers, the department said.

Domestic workers comprise 120,000 of the total 618,000 Filipinos in the UAE.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano thanked the UAE government for enacting the law, which would take effect 2 months after publication.