OFWs hail easing of Kuwait deployment ban

MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) departing from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as well as job recruiters hailed yesterday the decision of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to recommend to President Duterte the lifting of the deployment ban on skilled workers to Kuwait after a new labor accord was signed by the two governments.

Some workers said that OFWs would be more protected with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in Kuwait last Friday.

Even other foreign workers in Kuwait praised the agreement that would pave the way for the recognition of the rights of all migrants in Kuwait.

“We salute your President, well done,” they said.

Local recruitment agencies hailed the decision to resume the deployment of skilled OFWs and the firms have intensified marketing efforts to recapture losses.

Local recruiters also thanked Duterte, Bello, Philippine ambassadors and diplomats for the proper handling of the Kuwaiti situation.

Recruiters said they lost the placement of around 5,000 to 8,000 skilled OFWs who were replaced by other foreign workers after Duterte ordered the deployment ban.

Two weeks ago, Loraine Dulay, an Ilocana who worked for 25 years as sales associate and plans to return to Kuwait, thanked the President for his ability to handle even the worst situation regarding OFWs.

Meanwhile, some recruitment agencies will start resuming deployment of domestic helpers but they would provide the OFWs proper training and orientation for their jobs abroad.

“We will train our workers before sending them to Kuwait and other Gulf nations as we are waiting for the go signal from labor department, we will also abide by the ruling of no minors or less than 23 years old worker,” a recruiter said.

After the lifting of the deployment ban to Kuwait, the government is also likely to resume sending Filipino domestic helpers to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“We are just waiting for the implementing guidelines before resuming the deployment,” Bello said in an interview.

Bello said the Philippines Overseas Employment (POEA) is the agency tasked to draft the implementing guidelines in the sending of domestic workers to UAE, noting that there is no such ban on the UAE.

However, the labor department opted to suspend the deployment of Filipino domestic workers to UAE after the latter refused to comply with the requirement of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) to verify employment contracts prior to hiring.

Local recruiters have been pushing for the reopening of UAE as an alternative destination for the displaced Filipino domestic helpers from Kuwait.

Recruiters are also claiming that the suspension prompted many Filipino domestic workers to sneak out of the country and enter the UAE illegally.

They previously asked Bello to issue an order allowing the accreditation of job orders to the UAE. - With Mayen Jaymalin