POEA suspends recruitment agency of slain Pinay worker in Kuwait

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has suspended the agency of Filipina domestic worker Jeanalyn Villavende following her death allegedly at the hands of her employer's wife in Kuwait.

"Nakipag-ugnayan na po. Actually nakipagpulong pa nga po sa akin kahapon (Friday) kasi po pinatawag natin matapos ng insidenteng ito. Isa po siyang licensed recruitment agency, pero po noong January 2 sinuspinde ko na ito," POEA Administrator Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said in a Balitanghali Weekend interview on Saturday.

Olalia said the agency was suspended after it failed to provide a report regarding Villavende's situation and grant her request for repatriation.

Olalia said about 10,000 OFWs in the first quarter of 2020 will be affected following the Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) partial deployment ban on Kuwait.

However, professional and skilled workers are not included in the ban.

Agencies that have approved job orders in other countries could send the affected OFWs there as an alternative, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to Olalia.

Olalia added the government is now awaiting the investigation of the Kuwaiti government regarding the death of Villavende.

Jobs

In a separate Dobol B sa News TV interview on Saturday, Olalia said jobs for OFWs are also available in other Asian countries, including Hong Kong.

No deployment ban to Hong Kong has been issued; however, OFWs were advised to avoid destinations where there are riots or mass protests.

Israel will also be needing more than 100,000 hotel housekeepers.

In order to apply in Israel, household service workers will need to upgrade their skills through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the POEA administrator said.

There are also available caregiver courses in TESDA, as Japan and Europe will be needing health workers, who could have a minimum salary of about P77,000.

Senator Cynthia Villar on Saturday urged the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture to provide jobs for OFWs affected by the deployment ban to Kuwait. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News