Thirty-four kids without residence visas in Kuwait are now in the country after the Philippine embassy there helped process their travel documents.
The embassy thanked the Kuwaiti government for helping them fast-track the processing of the said documents. The children’s flight expenses were shouldered by the Philippine government.
Kuwait Consul General Noordin Pendosina Lomondot in an interview with ABS-CBN called upon other undocumented Pinoy workers in the Gulf State to partake in the government’s amnesty program while it is still being administered.
“Nakikiusap kami sa ating kababayan dito sa Kuwait, mag-final decision na kayo para mag-avail ng amnesty. Please avail of this opportunity of free tickets,” Lomondot said.
Meanwhile, Social Welfare Attache Nilda Oliva assured overseas workers with the same predicament that the government is always willing to help them.
“Tuloy-tuloy lang po ang pagpapauwi namin at huwag silang matakot kasi lahat naman ng mga Pilipino na pumupunta sa embahada hindi naman sila napapahamak. Tinutulungan naman namin. Magsabi lang sila nang totoo,” Oliva said.
Around 4,000 undocumented and overstaying OFWs in Kuwait have already been repatriated since January this year under the said amnesty program.
The program will expire on April 22.
The Philippines has already issued a total deployment ban on Kuwait following reported cases of abuse of Filipino workers there, including that of Joanna Demafelis whose body was found inside a freezer.
