THE Philippines has banned the deployment of newly-hired Filipino domestic workers to Kuwait.

The “targeted” deployment ban came at the heels of pressure from senators to take action on the gruesome killing of Filipina maid Jullebee Ranara last January 22.

Earlier, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said she will not impose a deployment ban, stressing she wanted to give diplomacy a chance to resolve labor differences with Kuwait.

‘Targeted’ ban of Pinay maids to Kuwait

The Department of Migrant Workers said it will not process the application and contracts of “first-time” OFW domestic workers “until more safeguards are in place for protection and welfare.”

“Yung mga baguhan, never before nagwork as kasambahays abroad or yung nagwork as kasambahays pero hindi sa Kuwait ay kailangan maghintay muna dahil nais tiyakin ng department na may mas maayos na monitoring at mas mabilis na response system in place bago sila tumungo doon,” Ople said. 

DMW Acting Secretary Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones relayed this during the Senate committee on OFW affairs hearing today, February 8. 

Ranara killing

The 35-year old Filipina maid was burned, killed and left in the desert in Kuwait. Kuwait arrested the 17-year old son of her employer who confessed to the crime.

Kuwaiti authorities were quoted as saying that Ranara was raped and impregnated by the juvenile suspect, based on autopsy reports. The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait could not confirm this, saying it has yet to receive the final autopsy report. 

Velasco-Allones said the DMW deployed a fact-finding team to Kuwait yesterday, February 8.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate committee on OFW affairs, said he felt slighted by the earlier statement of Ople contradicting his recommendation to impose a deployment and for the Kuwaiti government to apologize to Filipino people.

“May pinoprotektahan ba tayong travel agencies na nagpapadala ng mga OFWs sa Kuwait?” Tulfo said.

Bilateral labor talks

The Philippines and Kuwait are set to sit down and review their bilateral labor agreement.

Ople said they will see if there will be “significant reforms” that could come out from the upcoming talks.

She remains optimistic that significant changes can still be made to the existing bilateral labor agreement that the Philippines has with Kuwait. 

“Why not just impose a total deployment ban? Because there are actual OFWs who have already worked in Kuwait for several years who still want to go back to their old employers or seek new ones. We have also been informed through diplomatic channels of the willingness of the Kuwait government to engage in bilateral labor talks. We are preparing well in advance for these talks, bringing with us an accumulation of abuse done over the years, hence the need for significant changes,” Ople said.

She cited Saudi Arabia, where the Philippines recently banned domestic helpers. 

“As a result of our talks with Saudi Arabia, a joint technical working group was created to thresh out various problems and concerns, and that group meets every week through virtual means,” she added.

Other countries as alternative to Kuwait

Ople, who is now in Tokyo to assist President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, assured the OFWs bound for Kuwait that they need not to worry about the new partial ban.

Filipinos searching for work abroad as domestic workers should not be confined to Kuwait. There are also other countries to choose from, she said.

“Hong Kong remains a strong alternative and is much nearer to home, and we also have Singapore where we have very good relations with our counterpart ministry,” Ople added.