Malacañang on Wednesday, May 23, said President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to sign the order to lift the deployment ban to Kuwait for all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said a written order lifting the deployment ban has not yet been issued.
“That’s true. During the state dinner, he gave Secretary Bello (Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III) the authority to lift the ban but until now, I have not yet received a written order coming from Bello so we will follow up the written order,” Roque said.
Roque, however, confirmed to Rappler that the written order will be issued soon.
The confusion arose after Duterte said in a speech on May 22 that he will not sign the order to completely lift the ban if his demands are not met.
“We’re okay with Kuwait. My conditions were met but they must be guaranteed before I sign the lifting of the ban,” Duterte said in a speech during the Philippine Navy’s anniversary.
This, despite having announced on May 15 that the ban has been lifted for all OFWs, including household service workers (HSWs).
The announcement on the lifting of the ban came after the signing of the labor deal between the Philippines and Kuwait which seeks to protect the rights of OFWs in the Gulf state.
