The Malacañang has announced that the Philippines and Kuwait are set to sign on Friday, May 11, a labor agreement that seeks to protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the two parties are expected to meet for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was drafted following the death of OFW Joanna Demafelis an OFW whose body was found stuffed inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait.
“At sa a-onse po yung araw na inaasahan natin na magkakaroon po ng lagdaan ng memorandum of agreement,” Roque told reporters in Kuwait.
Under the deal, OFWs will be allowed to keep their cellphones so they could call for help in cases of emergency. They must also be allowed to have a minimum of 8 hours of sleep and ample food.
OFWs will also be asked to have their passports deposited at the Philippine Embassy.
Aside from the deal, the Kuwaiti government has agreed to create a special unit within their police which the Embassy can coordinate with in times of emergency calls from OFWs.
A special phone number for OFW assistance will also be set up.
Meanwhile, labor secretary Silvestre Bello III said he will recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte the partial lifting of the deployment ban to Kuwait once the MOU is signed.
“Baka partial lifting lang to allow the deployment of skilled workers. Yun ang ire-recommend ko kay Presidente. Kailangan tignan muna natin yung immediate effect ng MoU,” he said.
