Senator Raffy Tulfo has urged the Philippine government to impose a complete deployment ban of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait after the tragic death of Jenny Alvarado, a domestic worker, due to coal suffocation.
Alvarado reportedly died on January 2 after inhaling smoke from a heating system, along with several other foreign workers. To compound the family’s grief, the wrong body was initially sent to them during repatriation.
According to a Phil Star Global report, citing the Senate hearing on January 21, Tulfo expressed frustration over recurring OFW deaths in Kuwait and proposed halting new deployments to the Gulf state. “Let us return the ban. No more new deployment. Those already there with a contract, so be it. But no more new ones,” he said, even vowing to raise the issue with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Alvarado’s death is the latest in a series of tragedies involving OFWs in Kuwait. In 2023, the killing of Jullebee Ranara prompted the government to temporarily suspend labor deployment to Kuwait. Although deployment later resumed, it was limited to experienced OFWs renewing contracts.
Tulfo also pressed the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to enforce stricter employer screening in Kuwait, proposing additional measures like neuropsychological testing for employers.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega acknowledged that reinstating the deployment ban could serve as leverage in negotiations with Kuwait. However, he noted that such talks have been historically difficult, referencing the fallout from the 2023 ban.
While De Vega admitted that Kuwait’s countermeasures during past bans affected both domestic and skilled workers, he expressed confidence in the Philippines’ resilience.
