Following the murder of Jullebee Ranara, a Filipina domestic helper, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople gave directions to review the bilateral labor agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait.

DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac, in a media forum last Saturday, said Secretary Ople’s direction to review the bilateral agreement is timely so that the protection for OFWs can be strengthened.

“Ang direktiba ni Secretary Toots ay napapanahon nang irepaso, to revisit, review itong bilateral labor agreement na ito at paigtingin ang proteksyon sa mga OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” Cacdac said.

He added that aside from the agreement, the recruitment process shall also be revisited in order to have a stronger and more ethical recruitment standard so that agencies with clean records will be the only ones to deploy OFWs to Kuwait.

The bilateral agreement was signed in 2018 and expired last May 2022. Due to a renewal clause, the agreement was automatically renewed.

Meanwhile, there are 268,000 Filipinos that are living in Kuwait where 195,000 are OFWs.

Last Friday, the remains of the slain OFW arrived in the Philippines.

Currently, DMW is aiding Ranara’s family. Cacdac said that the Kuwait government pledges that justice will be served for the family of the deceased OFW.

“Ipinag-utos na rin ni Secretary Toots ang agarang pagbibigay ng assistance sa mga naiwan in terms of entitlements nila under the OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration), and under mandatory insurance proceeds para matulungan na po iyong pamilya ni Jullebee Ranara,” Cacdac said.