MANILA: "Maid in the Philippines" was how its top export commodity used to be known, with millions of women from the impoverished country hired abroad as domestic workers.

But as menial jobs vanish in the global recession and opportunities fail to materialise at home, more and more desperate Philippine women are resorting to something far more dangerous smuggling drugs as mules.

Three convicted Philippine drug smugglers, including two women, Friday saw their executions in China postponed after Vice-President Jejomar Binay made a frantic dash to Beijing to plead for their lives.

More than 500 Filipinos men and women are currently languishing in foreign jails on drug-related cases, foreign ministry spokesman Ed Malaya said. Women are especially susceptible.

"There appears to be a specific targeting of our Filipina women byinternational drug syndicates to be used as drug mules," Malaya told a news conference.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011