OFWs in Kuwait to gov’t: Close down negligent recruitment agencies


By LUCKY MAE F. QUILAO
Filipino workers in Kuwait welcomed the Philippine government's decision to suspend the deployment of newly hired OFWs to the Gulf country following incidents of abuses, but said it should also look into the "negligence" on the part of recruitment agencies.
"Ang mapang-abuso talaga dito ay ang mga agencies na pagkatapos i-deploy sa mga employer [ay] wala nang pakialam kahit binubugbog na ang mga katulong at nagkakasakit," said Geneveve Villarino via Messenger. "Dapat sa kanila ay ipasara."
Villarino, who has worked in Kuwait for two years, said she knew of incidents where Filipino household service workers (HSWs) are "sold" by their employers to their friends, even to those living in another country, making the OFW an illegal worker.
"Madalas nangyayari iyan lalo na kapag lumagpas na ng three or five months na nasa employer. Hindi ka na kasi puwedeng ibalik sa agency at hindi ka na rin tatanggapin ng agency," she said.
"So what will happen is ibebenta ka ng amo mo sa mga kakilala o kaibigan. Ang iba, binibenta sa ibang bansa," she added.
Though she approved of the deployment suspension, Villarino said this should be limited only to HSWs.
Marilyn Daza Canosa, a cook for 15 years for a Kuwaiti family, also urged the Philippine government to impose stricter rules on recruitment agencies.
"Para pare-parehas na maging okay ang lahat, dapat higpitan ng Pilipinas ang mga recruitment agencies," she said in a separate interview.
She lauded the deployment suspension as this would send a strong message to Kuwaiti employers.
"Pansamantala lang naman 'yan (suspension). Kakausapin nila 'yung goverment dito para maging maayos naman ang kalagayan ng mga OFWs. Kumbaga, babala 'yun dito sa mga Kuwaiti," Canosa said.
Another OFW in Kuwait, "Eula," said the suspension should be lifted only if the Philippine government receives an assurance from the Kuwaiti government that Filipino workers will be treated humanely there.
Upon orders from President Rodrigo Duterte, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III suspended last week the deployment of newly hired OFWs to Kuwait pending investigation on the deaths of seven OFWs there.
Before flying to New Delhi on Wednesday for the ASEAN-India Special Commemorative Summit, Duterte threatened to send all OFWs in Kuwait home if he hears of another case of abuse there.
Duterte likewise appealed to Kuwait and other Arab countries that are top destinations of OFWs to treat Filipino workers "with dignity."
An estimated 10 million Filipinos work overseas, majority of them in the Middle East, and the money they send home helps spur economic growth. In Kuwait, there is an estimated 260,000 Filipino workers, 170,000 of them employed as HSWs, who are considered vulnerable and prone to abuses. —KBK, GMA News

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