Abused OFW from Kuwait admitted to mental hospital


A Filipina domestic worker has been admitted to the National Mental Hospital upon her return to the Philippines after she experienced intense trauma and abuse while working in Kuwait.
"She can be categorized as a distressed worker, so may nangyari talagang pang-aabuso sa kanyang karapatan" said Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in a report by GMA News' Mark Salazar on "24 Oras" on Friday.
The report said Cacdac visited the OFW, who is from General Santos City, at the National Mental Hospital on Friday.
"Yung National Mental health doctors, they will look into her situation and condition," he said, adding disability, medical and livelihood assistance will be given to the OFW.
A video posted on social media showed the visibly traumatized Filipina unable to talk properly with her fellow passengers on her flight home.
The report said the Filipina appeared fearful, and hinted at the physical abuse she suffered in Kuwait. Her fellow passengers were seen trying to calm and soothe her.
Cacdac said the Filipina's case would be endorsed to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the possible filing of case against her employer in Kuwait.
Even the Filipina's recruitment agency could also be held liable for neglect over what happened to her, the report said.
Citing OWWA data, the report said the OFW was just one of the estimated 400 "welfare cases" or abused Filipino workers in Kuwait — big number considering that there are over 300,000 Filipinos in the Middle Eastern country.

Following the execution of OFW Jakatia Pawa last month, the Philippine government is mulling a temporary stop in the deployment of Filipino domestic helpers in Kuwait.
"Both the DFA and DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) are mulling the situation, mulling about the possibility of a moratorium. So I'll leave it at that because that's their decision to make," Cacdac said. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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