Raffy Tulfo slams Kuwaiti gov’t crackdown on OFWs :By HANA BORDEY, GMA Integrated News

Senate migrant workers committee chairman Raffy Tulfo on Tuesday slammed the Kuwaiti government’s reported crackdown on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Tulfo noted that the recent deportation of around 350 Filipinos was done while the negotiations between the Philippines and Kuwait to settle the temporary deployment ban imposed on first-time domestic helpers are ongoing. “We cannot come to the negotiating table on bended knees and folded arms. Imbes na masunod ang mga gusto nating terms at conditions, kabilang na ang apology from the Kuwaiti government, binabaliktad pa nila tayo,” Tulfo said in a statement. (Instead of agreeing to our proposed terms and conditions including the apology from the Kuwaiti government, they are taking these matters against us.) The lawmaker also emphasized the need to provide shelters for OFWs in distress as many of them had to sleep on the streets when the embassies’ shelters are in full capacity and while they are complying with the requirements for repatriation or getting documents related to the filing of cases. “Tandaan natin na ang mga OFW sa shelter ay naabuso at biniktima ng kanilang mga amo. We cannot expect them to stay in the house of the person who committed crimes against them nor seek help alone from a forum that is notoriously in favor of the abuser,” said Tulfo. Tulfo earlier called for a total deployment ban to Kuwait after the killing of OFW Jullebee Ranara whose body was found burned in the middle of a desert and was allegedly raped and impregnated by the 17-year-old son of her employer. Ranara’s case was investigated by the Senate migrant workers panel jointly with the Senate foreign relations panel and recommended that the Philippine government demand an apology over the “recurring cases” of murder, physical and financial abuse, maltreatment, and non-payment of monetary benefits to OFWs. During the hearings, Tulfo proposed mandatory pre-engagement seminars, background checks, and psychological and medical exams for employers of domestic workers to be deployed in Kuwait. Tulfo said he is currently coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) with regards to the negotiations for better pre-engagement protocols for OFWs. Recently, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. rejected the idea of imposing a total deployment ban against Kuwait, saying the Philippine government will continue to negotiate with the gulf state to improve the situation. The president said the Philippine government will pursue negotiations with the Kuwaiti government with regards to the supposed temporary suspension on issuing visas to Filipinos. Early this month, the Kuwaiti government announced a temporary suspension on the issuance of visas to Filipinos due to the supposed violation committed by the Philippine government on the bilateral agreement between the two countries. Due to this, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the Philippine government is studying the possible lifting of the deployment ban in Kuwait. Last February, the DMW banned the deployment of first-time domestic workers to Kuwait following the death of Ranara and other cases of maltreatment of OFWs. The DFA and the DMW said the Philippines will only lift the deployment ban if Kuwait can guarantee the protection of workers' rights there, including allowing shelters run by the Philippine government for distressed OFWs. —KG, GMA Integrated News

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