The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Wednesday officially announced that it will defer the deployment of first-time overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for Kuwait while significant reforms have not yet been made.
The announcement comes after Migrant Undersecretary Anthonette Velasco-Allones revealed in a Senate hearing that DMW is favored for a targeted deployment ban recommended by Senator Raffy Tulfo.
“Yung mga baguhan, never before nagwork as kasambahays abroad or yung nagwork as kasambahays pero hindi sa Kuwait ay kailangan maghintay muna dahil nais tiyakin ng department na may mas maayos na monitoring at mas mabilis na response system in place bago sila tumungo doon," Migrant Workers Secretary Susan 'Toots' Ople said.
Ople explained that the department can not impose a total deployment ban in Kuwait as there are OFWs who have already worked in Kuwait and still want to work for their old employers.
"We have also been informed through diplomatic channels of the willingness of the Kuwait government to engage in bilateral labor talks. We are preparing well in advance for these talks, bringing with us an accumulation of abuse done over the years, hence the need for significant changes,” she said.
The DMW Secretary expressed hope that there will be significant changes in the existing bilateral labor agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait.
Ople also said that OFWs should not cast their worries on the new policy, noting that they can still work in other countries like Hong Kong and Singapore.
