Palace says deployment ban to Kuwait stays only until MOU is signed

PERMANENT?


By ERWIN COLCOL, GMA News
Malacañang on Monday clarified that deployment ban for Filipino migrant workers to Kuwait will remain on "status quo" unless a memorandum of understanding is signed between the Philippines and the Gulf state.
In a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified Duterte's statement upon his arrival from Singapore on Sunday that the deployment ban will "stay permanently."
"What the President announced is the maintenance of the status quo. Until we have reached or signed a memorandum of [understanding], providing for the minimum terms and conditions of employment of our nationals, the deployment ban stays," Roque said.
"Now, is this permanent, as reported by some media outfits? Well, let's just say it stays right now because the precondition set by the President is really the signing of that memorandum of [understanding]," he added.
Roque said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and other Cabinet officials are set to fly to Kuwait on May 7 to discuss with Kuwaiti officials the signing of the memorandum.
Despite the "status quo," Roque said moves to protect Filipino workers in Kuwait continue, and that diplomatic ties with the Middle Eastern country remain.
"Kuwait also is duty-bound to protect aliens under the standards dictated by international law, under terms and conditions, which are not inferior to the way that they treat their own nationals," he said.
Roque pointed out that the Duterte administration would no longer allow a repeat of the case of slain Filipina domestic worker Joanna Demafelis.
"Prayoridad ng Presidente na bigyan ng proteksyon ang ating mga mamamayan na nagta-trabaho sa iba't ibang parte ng daigdig. So, non-negotiable 'yan," he said.
"Puwede tayong humingi ng abiso sa iba't ibang bagay na nagawa natin, pero hindi tayo hihingi ng abiso doon sa pagprotekta sa ating mga mamamayan. Hinding-hindi na natin papayagan ang another Demafelis," he added.
While the President is pushing for a repatriation of all Filipino migrant workers in Kuwait, Roque said this is voluntary.
"Sabi nga ni Presidente, 'yung mga propesyunal, kung nais niyong mag-stay diyan, mag-stay kayo diyan. Yung mga skilled workers, kung nais niyong mag-stay diyan, mag-stay kayo diyan," Roque said, quoting Duterte.
"Pero ang pakiusap ko nga, sense of patriotism, dahil sa Build, Build, Build, kailangan din natin ng mga skilled [workers]," he added.
According to the Foreign Affairs Department, there were 260,000 Filipinos working in Kuwait, with more than 65 percent of them domestic helpers. —KBK, GMA News

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