Kuwait agrees to conditions in MOU for OFWs' safety —Bello

Kuwait has already agreed to the conditions set by the Philippine government for lifting the total ban on deployment of first-time Filipino workers to the Gulf state.

A report on "Unang Balita" quoted Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III as saying that Kuwaiti labor officials have agreed to the conditions contained in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) to ensure the safety and well-being of Filipino workers in Kuwait, especially household service workers.

Strictly prohibited under the MOU are: the confiscation of OFW's cellular phone, confiscation of passport, and "trading" of workers to other employers.

But Bello clarified that even after the finalization of the MOU and bringing to justice Joanna Demafelis' killers who stuffed her body inside a freezer in Kuwait, he would still recommend the lifting of the deployment ban only for skilled workers.

Also, he said that the MOU with Kuwait would become the basis of ensuring the safety of Filipino workers in other host countries. 

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a total deployment ban to Kuwait after the discovery of the body of Demafelis inside a freezer. 

Earlier, a series of reported deaths of OFWs in the Gulf state, especially household workers, prompted Duterte to order a partial ban on deployment. Demafelis' case forced the President to order a total ban. —LBG, GMA News