THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is reviewing the guidelines covering the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait to further ensure strengthened protection for OFWs in the Arab country.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the DMW is currently reviewing its deployment policies to take necessary actions, whether to restrict or take more stringent measures in ensuring the safety and welfare of OFWs, particularly the domestic workers.
This was due to the recent deaths of OFWs in Kuwait, including Jenny Alvarado, who died due to suffocation from burning coal, and Dafnie Nacalaban, who went missing for two months and was reportedly found dead.
“We are reviewing our deployment policies and also trying to review ‘yung kapakanan ng mga matatagal ng OFWs na nandoon sa Kuwait. And as I said, we will come up with the findings on whether to tighten the requirements or impose more stringent measures,” Cacdac said.
The DMW prohibits the deployment of first-time OFWs or OFWs without prior experience working overseas.
“What we have now is the deferment of first-time OFWs with no overseas experience. We are also implementing the whitelisting and blacklisting of Kuwaiti recruiters, pre-departure briefings, and electronic on-site monitoring. Everybody goes through pre-departure briefings, and so we know their contact numbers. We meet them personally before they leave,” Cacdac said.
The DMW, meanwhile, condoles with the families of Alvarado and Nacalaban, and has been providing all the necessary assistance and other forms of support to the families during this time of grief.
The DMW is also following further investigations on the cases of the OFWs in pursuing justice for their deaths, as well as the legal liabilities of the concerned service provider for the erroneous repatriation of OFW Alvarado.
Committee on Migrant Workers Chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo during the Senate hearing on 21 January 2025 recommended a deployment ban of Filipino domestic workers to Kuwait.
“My recommendation is a total deployment ban of domestic helpers in Kuwait. If makipag usap sila sa atin, dapat mahigpit ang irerequest natin na sistema. Continuing the deployment of new Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait without fixing the current system is like sending our workers to the lion’s den,” Senator Tulfo said
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