EDITORIAL - Don’t take deployment ban off the table

Following the murder of a Filipina domestic helper in Kuwait, there are now calls to review the country’s labor deal with that gulf state.

This after more details surfaced of how Jullebee Ranara, 35, whose remains were repatriated to the Philippines recently, was treated. According to reports she had been beaten, run over with a car twice, then set on fire.

Each act alone could have already killed her and also be a reason to charge the alleged suspect in her murder; the underage son of her employer, who reportedly raped and impregnated her before killing her, even more acts he should be made to pay for.

The Department of Migrant Workers said they are now moving to strengthen the protection mechanism of our Overseas Filipino Workers.

"Kailangan yatang pagtibayin pa yung protection mechanism for our workers. Mukhang hindi tayo papayag na ganoon na lang at nakakalusot ang violations and abuses," said DMW spokesman Toby Nebrida.

Along this line, we say a deployment ban on domestic helpers to Kuwait should not be off the table when it comes to pushing for better protection for our OFWs working as domestic helpers.

We realize how such a ban can affect those who are already working there and those who already signed contracts and are about to leave. Many of them rely on this livelihood as the only way they can feed their families or send their children to school. But in the long run if such a drastic move finally wrests what we want from Kuwaiti authorities then it should be used to our advantage.

Of course a ban, should one ever be enforced, should only be for domestic helpers; it would make no sense for other OFWs with different contracts or jobs in Kuwait to be included in it.

While it may sound discriminatory this is not meant to be disrespectful to our OFWs working as domestic helpers in any way. This is more not to affect other OFWs working in other jobs and for good employers in that gulf state.