Philippine Government Ready for Return of OFWs from Kuwait

Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Manila, Philippines, MINA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has assured the public of the government’s readiness for the return of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Kuwait if a total deployment ban is imposed.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III Thursday said the government is prepared and could provide alternative employment for Filipino workers who may likely be affected by the ban.

“I hope it will not (happen). But if the ban pushes through, I think we are ready in case OFWs will return home because there are alternative markets for them like China. For our medical workers, there is Canada and United Kingdom,” he added.

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Bello said President Duterte would not hesitate to declare a total ban in deployment of OFWs to Kuwait if one more case of a Filipino getting raped or maltreated in the Arab country will be reported.

At this time, he stressed, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) is investigating the suspicious deaths of seven Filipina workers in Kuwait. Their deaths also prompted Bello to issue last week a department order suspending the processing of overseas employment certificate (OECs) and deployment of newly hired OFWs to Kuwait.

“I am expecting the report from our POLO to be done in 15 days upon issuance of the suspension order. If it will be established that the deaths were caused by maltreatment and abuses, we will declare a total deployment ban,” Bello said.

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But if foul play is not proven, the labor chief said he would order the lifting of the suspension in processing and deployment of OFWs to Kuwait.

Sudden increase in welfare cases.

He noted that DOLE has recorded a surge in cases of abuses among Filipino workers in Kuwait for the past year.

“From 2016 to 2017, we have recorded a total of 1,447 maltreatment cases among OFWs in Kuwait, a total of 2,959 contract violations, 227 cases of sexual abuse and 63 cases of rape,” Bello said, adding that he has already asked the POLO to explain the sudden increase in welfare cases.

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He would not hesitate to relieve labor officials in Kuwait if proven that they have been neglectful in their duties.

Yesterday, he met with the Kuwaiti ambassador and representatives of the recruitment industry concerning the suspension in OEC processing and deployment ban.

He told them that he could not lift the suspension pending the results of the investigation as he assured them that the DOLE would fast-track the probe. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency MINA)