Kuwait seeks lifting of OFW deployment suspension

The Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait was summoned by the Kuwaiti foreign affairs ministry over the Philippine government's decision to suspend the deployment of newly hired OFWs to the Middle Eastern country.

Sami Abdulaiz Al Hamad, Assistant Foreign Minister for Consulate Affairs Ambassador, met with Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa Jr. to request for the lifting of the suspension.

Administrative Order No. 25 was issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on January 19 suspends all processing of Overseas Employment Certificate (OECs) for deployment in Kuwait.

The suspension will be in effect pending the investigation of the seven deaths of OFWs reported to DOLE late last year.

Villa reassured Al Hamad in the meeting that the suspension was exclusively for first-time OFWs and did not affect OFWs on vacation or those with existing contracts.

Kuwait Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Al-Jarallah said on Arabic news site Al Khaleej Online that the suspension of OFW deployment to Kuwait does not serve the common interests of either countries.

He said Kuwait became "a desirable destination for workers who live in safety and stability." In a report on Kuwait Times, he said the overall status of OFWs in Kuwait cannot be assessed based on individual cases.

Al-Jarallah then said Kuwait is open to discuss the conditions of the Filipino workers in their country.

Other cases mentioned in the meeting between Villa and Al Hamad included a case where 500 OFWs were forced to overstay in Kuwait due to a Kharafi national supposedly failing to pay them proper wages.

Villa also mentioned the 300 household service workers (HSWs) under the custody of the Embassy and the Philippines and Kuwait's commitment to protect OFWs from abuse.

He also asked agencies to follow the President's directive in the meantime and halt their deployment of HSWs to Kuwait until the order changes.

According to Al Hamad, 170,000 of the 260,000 OFWs in Kuwait were HSWs. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News