During the visit of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III in Kuwait, a Standard Employment Contract was signed to protect the welfare of Filipino Household Service Workers (HSWS) which will be deployed to Kuwait.
On Monday, the officials of the Philippines and Kuwait signed an agreement for the proposed harmonized Standard Employment Contract for domestic helpers to be deployed to Kuwait.
Additionally, a two-day Joint Committee Meeting of the Technical Working Group (TWG) of both the Philippines and Kuwait was concluded.
The Philippine delegation arrived in Kuwait for the meeting in the midst of the total deployment ban of Filipino workers to Kuwait.
The Standard Employment Contract was signed by DOLE Undersecretary Claro Arellano and Kuwait’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Sami Al-Hamad.
“Kuwait and the Philippines are mutually committed to put in place proper procedures over the recruitment of domestic labor,” says Al-Hamad, adding that both countries are committed to find the best deal and agreed to cooperate in ensuring the rights and protection of Filipinos, particularly domestic helpers in Kuwait.
“Napag-usapan natin yong mga gusto ng atingPangulong Duterte. Pag-iingat ng passport ng ating mga workers. Yong, nandyan din yongpaggamitnila ng cellphone. Nandyan din yong hindibasta-bastasilamaita-transfer ng kanilang employer. Lahat ito nailagay sa Standard Employment Contract. We are very happy with Kuwait’s utmost cooperation on this matter,” says Labor Undersecretary Claro Arellano.
Meanwhile, Bello met with the host government and relayed her gratefulness for the cooperation and warm reception.
“I think we achieved what we came here for. We came here for two basic purposes and that is to get the approval of the proposed harmonized contract of employment that will cover our OFWs when they are here and more importantly, we were able to get the assurances of both the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior and even the Ministry of Economic Affairs that our OFW Ms. JeanelynVillavende will be given justice and they say, it’s going to be a swift justice. With that, we go back to the President and report the outcome, very favorable outcome of our trip to Kuwait,” says Bello.
The Philippine delegation left Kuwait together with 68 distressed OFWs on Monday afternoon.
