The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is currently evaluating Senator Raffy Tulfo’s proposal to impose a ban on deploying more Filipino domestic workers to Kuwait. The suggestion comes amid calls for stricter measures to safeguard Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state.
Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, cited “recent killings of Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait” as the basis for the ban, attributing the risks to systemic issues in the Kuwaiti government.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac acknowledged the proposal in a televised interview, emphasizing that the department is reviewing options, including stricter requirements for deploying workers to Kuwait. He clarified that any potential ban would not affect OFWs already working in the country.
Currently, the DMW prohibits first-time OFWs with no prior overseas experience from being deployed to Kuwait. Other measures include pre-departure briefings, electronic monitoring, and a system for blacklisting and whitelisting Kuwaiti recruiters.
Cacdac revealed that discussions with Kuwait on possible amendments to the bilateral labor agreement are also being considered. Approximately 220,000 Filipinos are in Kuwait, with 70 percent working as domestic helpers.
The issue gained renewed attention following the death of Jenny Alvarado, a Filipino domestic worker who allegedly died from suffocation caused by burning coal, along with two Nepali coworkers. Tulfo urged the government to reinstate the deployment ban until reforms are agreed upon with Kuwaiti authorities.
