KAKAMMPI News

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Monday said they have received around 150 complaints from the Filipinos employed under the seasonal workers program in South Korea since 2022. In a press briefing, DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said that there were 3,353 Filipino seasonal workers in South Korea as of December 2023. Their deployments began in 2022 under the program which allows short-term employment of foreign agricultural workers to address the chronic labor shortages during the peak planting and harvesting season in South Korea. “Over the period of time since the deployments began in 2022, we have received a number of complaints from the workers. Around 150 or so are the registered complaints by our migrant workers office in Seoul,” Cacdac said. “[The complaints are] exacting fees, legal deductions from wages, and cases even of involvement of brokers or intermediaries in recruitment both in Korea and here in the Philippines charging fees or exorbitant amounts of m...

More Filipinos are opting to pursue higher education in Canada, with the Philippine international student population increasing by more than 50% in 2023, according to a report by educational technology platform ApplyBoard. Citing data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, ApplyBoard said around 1 million international students were granted student visas last year, accounting for a 29.4% increase in the approved study permits in 2022. Of the figure, a total of 48,870 were Filipinos — 51% higher than the 24,000 study permit holders monitored in 2022. “Strong growth in Alberta and Saskatchewan made the Prairies provinces the fastest-growing destinations for Filipino students in Canada over the past year,” the ApplyBoard report said. The Philippines ranked third among the countries with the largest international student population in Canada in 2023. India topped the list with 427, 085, followed by China with 102,150. Nigeria landed at fourth with 45,965 while France w...

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday warned of possible increase in the prices of basic goods and services amid the possible P100 legislated hike in daily minimum wage. DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said that while he agrees that wage hike will increase the purchasing power of workers, he warned that it may also have an impact on micro and small businesses. “Alam po natin na karamihan ng ating mga negosyante, nandoon sa maliliit na kategorya. Subalit meron po sigurong kakayanin, meron ding hindi kakayanin,” he told Unang Balita in an interview. (We know that most of our businesses are under micro and small categories. But there are probably businesses that can handle the wage hike but some cannot.) “Kapag merong pag-uusap tungkol sa pagtaas ng suweldo, medyo nakakaramdam na po tayo ng pagtaas ng presyo ng pangunahing bilihin. Iyon pong may kinalaman sa transport. So para pong ano 'yan chain reaction. Kaya ang lagi naman pong tinatanaw ng DOLE sana mabal...

A total of 85 victims of human trafficking were rescued by the Philippine Air Force in a series of operations conducted from Jan. 11 to Feb. 4. In a report on Tuesday, joint operations conducted by Tactical Operations Group Sulu – Tawi-Tawi with several local government units were able to intercept the victims on board commercial shipping lines in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. Upon investigation, it was revealed that the victims were bound for Malaysia in hopes of employment without legal processing. “This undertaking clearly manifests significant and successful collaboration among government line agencies in the AOR that led to successful interdiction of illegal/criminal activities which could help the province of Tawi-Tawi to attain lasting peace and development,” the statement read. The 85 victims have since been turned over to the Office of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) in Bongao for counseling and stress debriefing. — Jiselle Casucian/RSJ, GMA Integrated News

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council could hold a vote this week, sought by Algeria, on a resolution seeking an “immediate” ceasefire in Gaza, diplomatic sources told AFP Saturday, although Washington again appeared set to block it. Algeria launched discussions on a new draft after the International Court of Justice ruled in late January that the Zionist entity must do all it can to prevent genocidal acts in its war in Gaza, which it says is targeting Hamas militants. The latest version of the text, seen by AFP Saturday, “demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties.” It also “rejects forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population,” and it “demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” The Zionist entity’s assault on Gaza has killed at least 28,858 people, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry. The Hamas October 7 attack, which the Zionist entity says triggered the war, has resul...

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah receives Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Prince Sultan bin Saad Al-Saud. During the meeting, Prince Sultan handed His Highness the Prime Minister an invitation from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al-Saud to visit the Kingdom. His Highness the Prime Minister also received the Governor of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) Yasir Othman Al-Rumayyan and his accompanying delegation, on his visit to the country. Director General for Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah attended the meeting. In another development, His Highness the Prime Minister on Sunday chaired a meeting of the government Performance Monitoring Agency (PMA), in the presence of the Agency’s Chief, Sheikh Ahmad Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. During the meeting, the agency’s tasks were reviewed in following up on the latest developments in some government projects, their completio...

KUWAIT: The traffic department at the interior ministry is considering a proposal to regulate the number of vehicles expatriates are allowed to own and register in their names. The aim is to combat unlicensed trading, reduce pollution, alleviate traffic congestion and address the scarcity of parking spaces for citizens at commercial complexes, markets and various public places. The proposed measure includes issuing a decree prohibiting expatriates from registering more than two vehicles in their name for personal use. In the event that an expatriate needs to acquire more than this specified number, they must approach the traffic department with a request and provide justifications. If approval is granted, fees will be imposed on each vehicle exceeding the limit, subject to passing a technical inspection. The proposal comes amid the widespread presence of dilapidated vehicles owned by expatriates on Kuwaiti streets, contributing to congestion, chaos and traffic accidents. Additionally...