The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines announced on May 13 that a delegation would be sent to Kuwait to address various issues related to labor and migrant workers.
This move comes as a response to the recent suspension of new work visas for Filipinos by the Kuwaiti government.
The delegation will work to ensure the protection and welfare of Filipino workers and discuss various labor concerns, according to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Paul Cortes.
“Palagi naman may discussions ang Kuwait and Philippines very often, in fact, itong month of May talagang pupunta iyong delegation natin doon to discuss among others labor concerns,” said the official.
He also stated that the DFA has established a "constant communication forum" with Kuwait and other countries to ensure the well-being of Filipino migrants.
The suspension of visas for Filipinos was announced by the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry after the Philippine government allegedly committed some violations on the bilateral labor agreement between the two countries.
However, Cortes clarified that the suspension only applies to new visa applicants without a resident visa or "iqama." Filipino workers who are returning to Kuwait to continue working and have been living there are allowed to enter.
The DFA has assured affected overseas Filipino workers that they will receive assistance from the government, including being included in the National Reintegration Program of the Department of Migrant Workers.
Reports have also surfaced that the Kuwaiti government wants to remove the shelters for runaway household workers operated by the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.
Cortes emphasized that the embassy must have a shelter for distressed Filipino workers, citing Republic Act (RA) 8942 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. He added that there is a provision in the bilateral labor agreement with Kuwait that allows this.
The DFA estimates that there are between 275,000 to 300,000 documented Filipinos in Kuwait, with 70 percent of them being household workers and 30 percent being non-household workers.
