MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines said Wednesday that it has yet to receive a notification from the Kuwaiti government regarding the reported suspension of all work and entry visas of Filipinos. .
“The Department of Migrant Workers has yet to receive any official communication regarding the alleged suspension of visa issuances by the Kuwait government for Filipino workers,” DMW spokesman Toby Nebrida said in a statement sent to reporters on Wednesday.
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Kuwait Times on Wednesday reported Kuwaiti Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah has ordered the suspension due to the Philippines alleged non-compliance with the bilateral labor agreement with the gulf country. Citing unnamed sources, the report noted that Manila “has breached the conditions and provisions” of the agreement.
A separate report by the Gulf Times said that the suspension would only be lifted once Manila complies with the labor pact.
The 2018 labor agreement was signed by both countries after the Philippines banned the deployment of its workers to Kuwait. That year, Filipino domestic worker Joanna Demafelis was found dead in her employers’ freezer.
The DMW said it is considering to review the pact after the murder of yet another Filipino domestic worker earlier this year.