By: Macon Ramos Araneta
Sen. Christopher Go, vice-chairperson of the Committee on Migrant Workers, applauded President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., for his proactive approach to addressing concerns of migrant workers and eventually bringing an end to the ban on the deployment of Filipino workers in Kuwait.
The President had a brief meeting with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC) Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Go said both leaders have committed to keep the channels of communication open for ongoing discussions in order to address labor-related issues between the two countries. Last May, Kuwait suspended the issuance of entry and work visas to Filipino workers due to claims that the Philippines had not been complying with the labor agreement between the two nations.
The tragic case of Filipino household service worker Jullebee Ranara, whose burnt corpse was discovered in the Kuwaiti desert in January, recently strained relations between the Philippines and Kuwait.
The incident prompted the Philippine government to temporarily halt the deployment of first-time household service workers to Kuwait until an amicable resolution is reached. Go, a staunch advocate of the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), lauded the President’s efforts to bring both nations back to the negotiation table and uphold the interests of concerned Filipinos.
He also recognized the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic relations with countries that host a significant number of Filipino workers.
He emphasized that “diplomacy and open communication are key to resolving issues that affect our overseas workers and ensuring their well-being.”
The senator likewise mentioned that this is not the first instance of a Filipino domestic worker meeting a tragic end in Kuwait.
In February 2018, the grim discovery of Joanna Demafelis’ body in an abandoned warehouse led to former president Rodrigo Duterte approving a ban on OFW deployment to Kuwait.
By May 2018, a memorandum of agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait saw the partial lifting of this ban.
The countries’ bilateral cooperation faced another setback in December 2019 with the murder of Filipino household service worker Jeanelyn Padernal Villavende by her Kuwaiti employer, prompting Duterte to issue again a temporary ban on OFW deployment in January 2020. The ban was lifted within a month in February 2020.
Moreover, Go is one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act number 11641 which created the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). The law streamlined the organization and functions of all government agencies related to overseas employment and migration while also offering services from pre-employment to reintegration.
