KAKAMMPI News

David Harding, Agence France-Presse Posted at Apr 30 2018 06:43 AM Migrant laborers work at a construction site at the Aspire Zone in Doha, Qatar, March 26, 2016.  Reuters DOHA, Qatar - Qatar could agree a deal within a fortnight to abolish its controversial exit visa system which requires workers to obtain their employers' permission to leave the country, labor experts said Sunday. The possibility of a landmark deal came as the International Labor Organization (ILO) opened an office in Doha, part of an agreement under which the United Nations agency will oversee wholesale labor reform by the 2022 World Cup host. "We are looking now about the final details of the exit visa, we expect a deal within the next 2 weeks," said Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation and a once-vocal critic of Qatar's labor laws. Other sources with knowledge of negotiations on the issue confirmed a deal was expected to be announced soon...

ABS-CBN News Posted at  Apr 30 2018 03:29 PM  | Updated as of  Apr 30 2018 03:54 PM Watch more in  iWantv  or  TFC.tv President Rodrigo Duterte should seek help from Saudi Arabia to ease diplomatic tensions with Kuwait over the treatment of Filipino workers, a community leader said Monday.  Duterte said Sunday the temporary ban on Filipinos going to work in Kuwait was now permanent.  This comes after Kuwaiti authorities last week ordered Manila's envoy to leave the country over videos of Philippine embassy staff helping workers flee allegedly abusive employers.  The 2 nations had been negotiating a labor deal that Philippine officials said could result in the lifting of the temporary ban, but the recent escalation in tensions has put an agreement in doubt.   "Ang dapat na munang ayusin at gamutin dito ay iyung relasyon, hindi po iyung deployment agad," Dr. Celerino Umandap, chairman of the Ako OFW group, told radio ...

Published  April 29, 2018 11:59am  President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said he would "rob a central bank" if needed so that all distressed Filipino migrant workers in Kuwait could go home. In a press conference at the Davao International Airport upon his arrival from Singapore, Duterte said he intends to use the money that Chinese president Xi Jinping has pledged the Philippines to refurbish hospitals for the benefit of arriving OFWs from Kuwait. "Gamitin ko 'yung pera. Sabi ko, diyan na muna 'yan. Place it in trust. And once we start to withdraw all Filipinos there in Kuwait, maybe I'll tell you the result of our intervention in behalf of our countrymen," Duterte said. "Though the calamitous events did not occur here but para sa akin kung naghihirap lang 'yung mga kababayan ko, gagamitin ko. Magnanakaw pa ako kung gusto mo. Ako na ang magnakaw sa central bank mismo. But they have to come home," he added. He,...

Published  April 29, 2018 1:57am  President Rodrigo Duterte said early Sunday morning that the deployment ban of Filipino workers to Kuwait, especially domestic helpers, would "stay permanently." "There will be no more recruitment... especially domestic helpers. Wala na," said Duterte, who just flew in from Singapore where he attended the 32nd ASEAN summit. The president also urged Filipino blue-collar workers already in Kuwait to come home, as he projected that other jobs would become available for them. Among the possible future deployment destinations workers could look forward to was China, where some 100,000 English teachers would be needed in the next five years. There would also be a need for caregivers in countries with aging populations, with Duterte pointing to Japan as one of these possible destination countries. Furthermore, the president said that the Philippines would need workers because of the bullish economy, and...

Published  April 28, 2018 9:14pm  By MARGARET CLAIRE LAYUG, GMA News President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he has no hatred toward the Kuwaiti government even as he asked all Filipinos in the Gulf state to return home. "I address, myself, to the Kuwait government and the people: Salamat sa tulong ninyo sa mga kababayan ko all these years. It is a debt of gratitude na, after all, nakatulong namin kayo. So wala akong galit. Walang hatred. Wala lahat," " the President said in a speech in Singapore. "Pero kung the presence of the Filipino, if it is a burden, nabibigatan kayo sa pagdala sa kanila, allow us to get them out," he added. The President clarified he had no intention of worsening the diplomatic row over the state of Filipino workers in Kuwait, but said he could not just accept what is happening to his countrymen working there. "Salamat to the government of Kuwait. Thank you for your generosity for your generosity...

Published  April 28, 2018 8:41pm  Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Saturday said the Philippines should follow in the footsteps of the North and South Korean leaders in fixing the growing diplomatic row with Kuwait. Pimentel said that despite the state of war between the two Korean countries, its two leaders were able to conduct a meeting, which later led to the forging peace. "Kuha tayo inspirasyon sa Korea, state of war pa sila pero nag-uusap sila. Nag-e-exchange sila ng high level visits. Ganyan din dapat pag-aayos natin sa Kuwait," Pimentel said. He added that high level visits would show Kuwait that ties with them is important to the Philippines. "High level visits, kung kailangan si special envoy, gawin natin para makita nila na importante sila sa atin,' he said. "We are in the state of friendly relations, so tuloy tuloy lang pag-uusap, tapos magpakita ng willingness magpadala ng high level delegation. Kun...

Published  April 28, 2018 3:49pm  By RONALDO CONCHA JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia —A Filipina household service worker on Friday fell to her death from the 6th Floor of her employer's house in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a Philippine official said Saturday. Consul General Edgar Badajos of the Philippine General Consulate in Jeddah said that the victim was still alive when she was rushed to the Madinah National Hospital, but she later succumbed to her injuries. Badajos also said that the victim's remains were brought to the King Fahad Hospital in Madinah for examination. Initial autopsy results indicated no signs of any physical abuse, he added. Based on records, the victim hailed from Basilan in Mindanao and had been on her job in Saudi Arabia for over two months. “Sa ngayon ay nakikipag ugnayan na ang ating konsulada sa mga awtoridad hinggil sa pagkamatay ng ating kabayan at nakikipag ugnayan na kami sa kanyang mga mahal sa buhay sa pamamagitan ng ka...

Published  April 27, 2018 4:26pm  By AMITA LEGASPI, GMA News Senator Cynthia Villar on Friday said the expulsion of Ambassador Renato Villa and the delay in the signing of memorandum of understanding should not hinder the government from protecting Filipino workers in Kuwait. "We really have to protect our OFWs. Hindi naman unfounded ang ating concern," Villar said, noting the killing of Filipina domestic helper Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found in a freezer in Kuwait in February. "Whatever pain we have to suffer, we really have to protect our OFWs," she added. Kuwait expelled Villa days after it expressed disapproval of the Philippine Embassy's action to conduct a series of rescue operations of Filipino maids allegedly abused by their employers. Kuwait said what the embassy did was in violation of international laws and its sovereignty. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano earlier said the rescue mission was coordin...

Published  April 27, 2018 10:59am  Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has indicated that the expulsion of the country’s ambassador to Kuwait has affected preparations for the signing of a deal between the two countries for the protection of Filipino workers in the Gulf state. Speaking to reporters in Singapore on Thursday, Cayetano left it to President Rodrigo Duterte to decide on what to do next. “Now that this is happening, why would I recommend that we sign the memorandum and lift the ban? But we’re hoping this will all be clarified,” Cayetano said in a report of GMA News’ Mariz Umali for Unang Balita. Duterte had said he would witness the signing of the memorandum of understanding supposedly set to take place after Ramadan, Islam’s holy month, after the Kuwaiti government acceded to his demands. These conditions include passports of all overseas Filipino workers should no longer be confiscated by their employers, the OFWs must g...

AMID KUWAIT UPROAR Published  April 26, 2018 7:45pm  Former President Fidel Ramos on Thursday threw his support behind Philippine Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa who has been expelled from and declarted persona non grata in Kuwait. In a report by GMA News' JP Soriano on 24 Oras, Ramos said Villa should be "commended" for doing his job of protecting distressed OFWs in the Gulf state. "He was just protecting our people," the former leader said. "He should be commended. Promote him, decorate him and applaud him." Kuwait ordered Villa to leave the country as it voiced disapproval to the Philippine Embassy’s move to conduct a series of rescue operations of Filipino maids allegedly abused by their employers. The Kuwaiti government served protest notes on Villa last week over what it called "inappropriate behavior" by Philippine diplomatic staff, who were shown in a video conducting a rescue of OFWs in the Gulf state. ...

Published  April 26, 2018 7:10pm  Militant pro-migrants group Migrante International on Thursday criticized the Philippine government for the expulsion of Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa, saying it would put OFWs into "deeper trouble." Villa was declared persona non-grata in Kuwait for his alleged failure to name the embassy staff members involved in the rescue of distressed Filipino housemaids and to explain why such an operation took place. In a statement, Migrante said OFWs have to "suffer even more" due to the "inexcusable blunder" that resulted from the government's supposed lack of sincerity in providing long-term solutions to the problems of migrant workers. "We are calling on the government to apologize to our OFWs for putting them into deeper trouble and make amends by heeding to their calls of providing immediate justice, ensuring full protection of their rights, deprivatization of overseas work...

Published  April 26, 2018 4:50pm  By ERWIN COLCOL, GMA News Representatives of the Gabriela Women's Party on Thursday filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the plight of domestic helpers in the Middle East as well as the current status of government assistance programs. In House Bill 1830, Gabriela Women's Party Representatives Emmi De Jesus and Arlene Brosas urged the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the numerous abuses committed against household service workers in the Middle East. The filing of the resolution came after  the expulsion of former Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa from Kuwait  over his alleged failure to address the Middle Eastern state's complaints over the rescue of OFWs by his staff. “In contrast to the recent gimmickry of the Duterte regime in rescuing distressed OFWs from their homes in Kuwait at the expense of our kababayans and dip...

ABS-CBN News Posted at  Apr 24 2018 12:47 PM Fire fighters stand near a covered body after a van struck multiple people at a major intersection northern Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Tuesday.  Saul Porto, Reuters MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said it is still checking on the condition of Filipinos in Toronto after a man plowed a white rental van into a crowd of pedestrians, killing 10 people. Driver kills 10, injures 15 plowing van into Toronto sidewalk crowd "The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa said it has not received any report of Filipinos among the dead or injured and that the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto is still checking with authorities and members of the 270,000-strong Filipino Community," the DFA said in a statement. Toronto police had said the incident, which happened some 16 kilometers from a meeting of G7 ministers, was a "deliberate attack." Police arrested a suspect at the scene. He was later identifi...

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News Posted at  Apr 26 2018 11:52 AM MANILA - Malacañang said it was surprised by the Kuwaiti government’s decision to expel Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa, following the release of a video that drew the ire of Kuwaiti authorities. Kuwait expels Philippine envoy amid tensions over domestic workers Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the development came as a surprise, as talks between President Rodrigo Duterte and Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Philippines Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh earlier this week went well. “Eh nagulat po talaga ang lahat sa mga developments na ito, dahil mahusay po ang pag-uusap sa panig ng ating Presidente at ng Kuwaiti Ambassador; at sa panig po ng ating Secretary of Foreign Affairs at ng Kuwaiti Ambassador din kahapon ‘no,” Roque told dzMM. “So, nagulat po tayo at ngayon po ang pinag-aaralan kung ano ang mangyayari. Pero ang assurance lang po ng Presidente sa ating panglabas na relasyon, ang pangunahin...

Published  April 26, 2018 8:24am  By RIE TAKUMI, GMA News The mother of Mary Jane Veloso, an OFW jailed in 2010 after she was allegedly framed for drug smuggling, will fly out Thursday to Yogyakarta, Indonesia for the third anniversary of her daughter's temporary reprieve from execution. Veloso was temporarily spared from execution in 2015 after intense negotiations between Indonesia and the Philippines after her recruiters, the persons who allegedly tricked her into becoming a drug courier, turned themselves in. Militant pro-OFW group Migrante International will accompany Veloso's mother Celia in the trip on Thursday, which also marks her eight years in prison. Various churches and migrant organizations in Indonesia helped fund the trip. In an earlier statement, Celia appealed to the government to help her daughter achieve justice and freedom. "Ako po ay muling humihingi ng tulong sa ating gobyerno na sana naman ay ipagkaloob na nila an...

POST-AMNESTY CRACKDOWN Published  April 24, 2018 9:45pm  The Kuwaiti government has assured the Philippines that undocumented and overstaying Filipinos who may be arrested following the end of the amnesty period will be given "proper and humane" treatment, Malacañang said Tuesday. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this was among the agreements reached during the meeting between Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Kuwait Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh earlier in the day. Roque said the two parties also agreed to: ensure immediate action by Kuwaiti authorities on pending requests for assistance from distressed Filipino workers; facilitate the repatriation of the more than 600 Filipinos currently staying in shelters of the Philippine Embassy; assure justice for pending and future cases filed by Filipinos who are victims of serious abuse and other offenses The amnesty for undocumented and overstaying foreigners in...

Published  April 24, 2018 7:10pm  By AMITA LEGASPI, GMA News The government should stand by Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa amid the gulf state's displeasure over a video showing the rescue of distressed overseas Filipino workers, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Tuesday. Drilon said he supports Villa for protecting the interests of the Filipinos in Kuwait. “I support Ambassador Villa and what he’s doing, because it’s not easy to be in the situation, and I support him fully. He’s there to protect our interest and the interest of our Filipino workers, and forced by necessity he did what he did for the welfare of our Filipino compatriots. I support him for what he did,” he told reporters. He added that will oppose any plan to recall to Villa. “I will object to any plan to recall him. Yes [we should defend him]. We should not recall him,” he said. He said the protest from the Kuwaiti authorities is to be expected and that the governm...