Deployment ban to Kuwait pushed as another OFW death
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo has called for a total deployment ban of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait following the death of another migrant worker in the Gulf state.
On January 2, OFW Jenny Alvarado reportedly died from coal suffocation, along with other foreign workers, after inhaling smoke from a heating system. Adding to her family’s grief, they were initially sent the wrong body upon repatriation.
At a Senate hearing on Tuesday, January 21, Tulfo expressed his frustration over the recurring deaths of OFWs in Kuwait and proposed reinstating a deployment ban.
Even if I have to talk to the president about this, I will. Let us return the ban. No more new deployment. Stop. Those who are already there, with a contract, so be it. If they want to renew the contract, I am okay with that. But no more new ones,” Tulfo said.
Other OFW deaths in Kuwait. Alvarado’s case is not an isolated incident. In 2023, the killing of OFW Jullebee Ranara led to a temporary suspension of migrant labor deployment to Kuwait. The government later allowed limited deployment, restricting it to experienced OFWs returning there for work.
At the hearing, Tulfo urged the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to implement stricter measures for employers hiring OFWs in Kuwait. He proposed additional requirements such as neuro testing for employers.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega acknowledged that negotiating such measures with Kuwait would require a strong negotiating chip on the part of the Philippine government.
“I believe when you mentioned that the ban needs to be reinstated, that is one incentive for Kuwait to agree,” De Vega said in a mix of English and Filipino.
However, he admitted that negotiations with Kuwaiti officials have been challenging, citing Ranara’s case as an example.
“We already know the repercussions based on 2023. We banned domestic helpers; they then banned all [workers], pati skilled workers. But I think we survived,” De Vega added.
DMW’s position, current measures
DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia explained that foreign recruitment agencies are already required to vet employers thoroughly through documents such as court clearances, police clearances and proof of financial capacity.
But DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac admitted that more could be done by the government itself to screen employers effectively.
“There should be some screening—psychological screening or a level for determining whether the employer [is] qualified,” Cacdac said.
The DMW is currently considering suspending migrant worker deployment to Kuwait amid Alvarado’s death and other recent incidents involving OFWs.
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