DFA won’t recommend OFW ban to Kuwait

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will not recommend a ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait despite the rising number of cases of domestic workers raped and victimized by white slavery syndicates.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos said yesterday in a press briefing that individual cases of female OFWs raped in Kuwait do not form a basis for a deployment ban. Such bans are normally implemented under worse security situations in OFWs’ host countries, he said.

Conejos said the DFA has yet to study the rape incidents, including the gang rape of a domestic worker, the 18th Filipina victim there, to determine whether a deployment ban on Kuwait is necessary at this time.

"The assessment whether to stop the deployment normally depends on the security situation. There have been many instances of rape. On the allegation of trafficking, we do not know how extensive the individual cases are," Conejos said. "We will have to see how far and extensive (these cases are) before we recommend (anything)."

The Philippine embassy in Kuwait has launched a massive campaign warning female OFWs about the modus operandi of white slavery syndicates.

Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya earlier said the information campaign was launched because of the number of white slavery cases in which Filipino women were victimized.

The 17-year-old Filipino domestic worker from Pigkawayan, North Cotabato is the latest victim of Bangladeshi nationals and an Indonesian who are believed to be behind the syndicate.