Eduardo de Vega, the undersecretary of the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted Manila’s intention to speak with the Kuwaiti administration about the possibility of sending Filipino labourers back to Kuwait, according to Al-Jarida daily.
This comment comes after the juvenile who was charged with the suspected murder of the Filipino domestic worker was recently found guilty by a Kuwaiti court.
A specialist in issues relating to domestic workers, Bassam Al-Shimmari, revealed that on October 12 at 3:00 pm, the Philippine Association of Recruitment Agency Secretaries in Kuwait had sent an urgent invitation to certain owners of nearby recruitment offices by Zoom.
Given the recent moratorium decisions from both nations, the discussion at this meeting was intended to explore the potential of the Philippines starting to deploy new domestic workers again.
Al-Shimmari said the invitation was the result of a request the organisation made to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., demanding a restart of communication between authorities from both nations.
To overcome the ongoing conflict and eliminate the restriction on hiring Filipino labour, a consensus must be reached.
He praised this as a constructive move and urged the pertinent Kuwaiti authorities to take advantage of this chance in the best interests of both countries, particularly in light of the dire need for domestic workers caused by the suspension of issuing new worker visas for Filipinos.
In light of the severe domestic worker shortage caused by the suspension of issuing new worker visas for Filipinos, he praised this as a commendable action and urged the pertinent Kuwaiti authorities to take use of this opportunity in the interests of both countries.
He emphasised the value of Filipino domestic workers to Kuwaiti and expatriate families due to their effective communication, education, and understanding of local customs. The number of Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait is estimated to be around 200,000, making up half of the total domestic workforce.
Local sources also indicated Kuwait’s ongoing worries about several activities taken by the Philippine Embassy, including its control of shelters housing those who break residency regulations or are the subject of absconding complaints.
This omission, in Kuwait’s opinion, violates the country’s laws and accepted diplomatic standards. The sources reiterated Kuwait’s stance, which is grounded in established norms, and urged the Philippines to resolve violations, provide an official guarantee from its embassy not to repeat them, and tell the Manila government of this commitment for publishing in official media.
To replace current Filipino workers in the event that they decide to leave the country permanently, Kuwait is also looking at labour options from other nations.
Source Arabtimes
