Plan to Defer Deployment of HSWs in Kuwait to be Discussed – Bello

by Samuel P. Medenilla

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will soon be conducting consultations with major stakeholders on its plan to defer the deployment of Filipino household service workers (HSW) in Kuwait.

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he is already scheduled to meet with Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. this Thursday to discuss the feasibility of the moratorium.

“If a decision has to be made (on the issue), it will be very soon. But after consultation with all the stakeholders. In fact, I am meeting with Secretary Yasay on February 9,” Bello told reporters in an interview last week.

Last month, Bello announced he was considering imposing the moratorium following the death of a Filipino HSW in Kuwait after allegedly suffering physical abuse in the hands of her employer.

He said they will use the deferment period to check on the status of Filipino HSWs in Kuwait.

Concerned over the possible moratorium, the Kuwaiti ambassador met with Bello last week to discuss the issue.

“Right now, I am not at liberty to tell you what we really talked about. It is enough that we had a very congenial and very frank conversation.  It paved a very conducive atmosphere for our Philippines-Kuwait relationship especially in terms of labor relationship,” Bello said.

Some recruitment agencies also met with Bello in an attempt to convince him not to impose the moratorium for Filipino HSWs since it might also affect the deployment of other professions in Kuwait.

According to the latest data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), deployment of new hires in Kuwait increased from 36,731 in 2014 to 51,324 in 2015 making the Arab country the fifth top destination for land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

Bello, however, maintained he is not ruling out the moratorium, if it will ensure the long-term protection of all OFWs in Kuwait.

(Source: MB.com.ph)