DMW to review labor agreement with Kuwait following Jullebee Ranara death

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) ordered a review of the bilateral labor agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait, following the death of overseas Filipino worker Jullebee Ranara.

“Ang direktiba ni Secretary [Susan "Toots" Ople] ay napapanahon nang irepaso, to revisit, review itong bilateral labor agreement na ito at paigtingin ang proteksiyon sa mga OFWs,” DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a media forum on Saturday.

Ranara, 35-year-old, whose body was found burned in the middle of the desert in Kuwait was allegedly raped and impregnated by the 17-year-old son of her employer.

The DMW said it will also look into the recruitment process and standards to provide more protection for OFWs.

“At sabay nito ay pinatitingnan din ni Secretary Toots iyong recruitment standards para paigtingin iyong safe and ethical recruitments standards para sa mga OFWs to Kuwait na masiguro natin, halimbawa, iyong mga agencies with clean track records lamang ang makakapag-deploy ng mga OFWs to Kuwait,” Cacdac said.

“So, mayroon ngayong direktiba na tingnan din, suriin din ang sistema ng pagri-recruit para mas lalong protektado ang mga OFWs to Kuwait,” he added.

Cacdac said the bilateral agreement, which was signed in 2018 and expired in May 2022, was automatically renewed due to the automatic renewal clause.

He, however, said the Kuwaiti government vowed to give justice to Ranara’s family.

“Iniulat din ni Secretary Toots kahapon sa kaniyang presscon na sumulat ang ambassador ng Kuwait to the Philippines ng sulat sa pamilya, sa nanay ni Jullebee, assuring them that mayroon nang imbestigasyon na nagaganap under the Kuwaiti justice system, and that justice will be delivered to the family for the death of OFW Ranara,” the DMW official said.

Cacdac said the DMW is also working to assist Ranara’s family.

The remains of Ranara arrived in Manila on Friday night.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also began the autopsy on the remains of Ranara as requested by her family.

The DMW meanwhile issued an order for the preventive suspension of Ranara’s employer.

According to Cacdac, there are 268,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, where 195,000 are working as domestic workers.

In January 2020, the Philippine government had approved a total deployment ban to Kuwait following the death of Filipina migrant worker Jeanelyn Villavende.

The ban was lifted in February 2020. — DVM, GMA Integrated News