Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 8) — The processing of contracts of first-time household workers bound for Kuwait will be halted temporarily until more safeguards are in place for Filipinos there, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced Wednesday.
The policy came more than two weeks after the charred remains of 35-year-old Filipino household worker Jullebee Ranara was found in the Gulf state, triggering calls for a total ban on overseas Filipino worker (OFW) deployment there.
In a statement, the DMW said Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople wanted the application of newly hired household service workers to be deferred until after “significant reforms\” are done. The department noted that the Philippines and Kuwait are set to hold talks on the matter.
“’Yung mga baguhan, never before nag-work as kasambahays abroad or ‘yung nag-work 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,” Ople said.
[Translation: Those who never worked as a household worker abroad, or those who did work as a household worker but not in Kuwait, will have to wait first because the department wants to make sure that there is an effective monitoring and response system in place before Filipino workers go there.]
Undersecretary Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones said during a Senate hearing that the policy is a \”targeted\” deployment ban.
“Bukas si Sec. Toots at suportado po niya ang panukala ninyo na mag-impose ng targeted ban,” she told Senator Raffy Tulfo during the committee on OFW affairs inquiry on Ranara’s murder.
“By that, we mean ‘yun pong ban na i-impose ay para po sa mga household workers bound for Kuwait na mga new hires po,” Allones said.
[Translation: Sec. Toots is open to and supports your proposal to impose a targeted ban. By that, we mean for newly hired household workers bound for Kuwait.]
Tulfo, the committee chairman, is among those in favor of completely halting OFW deployment to Kuwait.
The DMW, however, said it is not inclined to implement a total ban, as it is considering Filipinos who have worked in the Middle Eastern country for several years and who wish to go back.
Allones also noted that workers who have been to Kuwait before are less prone to abuse.
“Nung binalikan po namin ang datos, Sir, ‘yun pong mga balik-manggagawa — mga pitong beses na, anim na beses na — kabisado na po nila ang kanilang employer, ‘yung kultura, mga patakaran,” Allones told lawmakers.
“Ang bulto po ng ating mga problema na nagkakaroon po ng pag-maltrato ay nandoon po sa mga new hires,\” she added.
[Translation: When we reviewed data, returning workers — those who have been to Kuwait seven times, six times — they already know their employers, the culture and the rules there. The bulk of cases of maltreatment involve new hires.]
Meanwhile, Ople said Filipinos seeking employment abroad have other nations to choose from while the government awaits reforms in Kuwait.
“Hong Kong remains a strong alternative and is much nearer to home, and we also have Singapore where we have very good relations with our counterpart ministry,” the DMW chief said.
A couple of days after Ranara’s murder hogged headlines, the DMW initially said it was not yet considering the suspension of OFW deployment to Kuwait.
