Ched Rick Gatchalian

Overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from Kuwait arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file

Article (news)

Tulfo asks deployment ban of Filipino domestic workers to Kuwait

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1737441005358kuwait.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from Kuwait arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chair Raffy Tulfo on Tuesday sought a fresh ban on the deployment of new Filipino household service providers or kasambahays to Kuwait, pending the institutionalization of stricter screening protocols for potential employers.</p><p>&quot;Dapat wala muna eh. Why was it lifted? Diba dapat wala muna? And then I&#x27;ve heard na last year, sana total ban. Hanggang hindi sila mag-ayos-ayos ng kanilang mga pag-ugali, ng kanilang sistema. Like I said, I would prefer or rather mawalan ng trabaho ang libo-libo kaysa naman ang kapalit noon isang buhay ng ating OFW,&quot; Tulfo said during a committee hearing.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/16/dmw-eyes-suspending-deployment-to-kuwait-following-ofw-s-death-2130">DMW eyes suspending deployment to Kuwait following OFW&#x27;s death</a></div><p>His statement followed the death of overseas Filipino workers Jenny Alvarado in Kuwait due to suffocation from burning coal along with two Nepali domestic workers.</p><p>The lawmaker said the same situation kept happening in Kuwait, where OFWs are abused, because the Philippines is &quot;feeding the lions&quot; which shouldn&#x27;t be the case.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/16/labi-ng-ofw-na-namatay-sa-kuwait-dumating-na-sa-pilipinas-2001">Labi ng OFW na namatay sa Kuwait dumating na sa Pilipinas</a></div><p>He added that there are other countries &quot;who would be more than happy to receive&quot; Filipino workers.</p><p>&quot;Ang problema ay doon sa employer. Palagi na lang kapag meron problema, ang tinitignan natin, &#x27;yung side natin, no, we&#x27;re not the problem. The problem is Kuwait, the problem is the government of Kuwait not doing enough,&quot; Tulfo said.</p><p>He said he was ready to face President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to personally request the deployment ban. </p><p>&quot;Even if I have to talk to the President about this, and I will. Ibalik natin siguro &#x27;yung ban. Wala na munang new deployment. Stop. Yung mga nandun ngayon, may kontrata, gusto n&#x27;yo na mag-renew ng kontrata, okay ako. Kaya lang wala nang bago. Kung ano yung natitira doon, &#x27;yun na &#x27;yun. Tapos, renew nang renew ng contract sila, okay. Pero huwag na tayo magpadala at sasabihin natin kaya lang may work experience,&quot; he continued.</p><p>He also suggested to screen future Kuwait employers of OFWs. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/18/kuwaiti-national-confesses-to-killing-filipina-domestic-helper-dmw-1410">Kuwaiti national confesses to killing Filipina domestic helper: DMW</a></div><p> &quot;Majority of the Kuwaitis are good people. But there are a number of them who are ayoko na magsalita. So yun ang sasalain natin,&quot; Tulfo said.</p><p>Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said he was open to Tulfo&#x27;s call. </p><p>&quot;Ang una pong nasasa isip ko is mag-require na i-account for all the OFW, especially the kasambahay in Kuwait at this stage. Kasi sabi niyo nga po, pagbawalan &#x27;yung papasok, pero meron pa ang mga nandoon. So ang nasa sa isip ko po, i-account for each and every kasambahay, kamustahin sila, dapat malinaw na nasa maayos silang kundisyon bago pa man tayo magpatuloy at this stage,&quot; Cacdac said.</p><p>He said he agreed with Tulfo about having a screening for OFW employers.</p><p>&quot;Pangalawa, agree po ako sa inyo, there should be some screening, psychological screening or a level of determining whether qualified yung employer. At kung dadagdagan ko pa Mr. Chair, yung briefing na binabanggit ko po, tama kayo, hindi lamang yan sa side ng ating kababayan. Dapat meron ding pre-employment briefing ang employer,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kaya&#x27;t haharap siya bago pa man umalis, haharap siya sa ating labor attaché o migrant workers office at doon ipapakilala niya yung sarili niya. At the technology I suppose will now permit na mag-usap sila habang nandito sa Pilipinas yung domestic worker at siya ay naroroon sa Kuwait para magkakitaan na sila sa muka at sa mata bago pa man umalis. So yan po ang nasa sa isip ko ngayon,&quot; Cacdac added, noting that there are already screenings for employers now.</p><p>Tulfo said he was optimistic that Marcos would be open to the idea.</p><p>&quot;I think the President is a reasonable man and he will listen. He knows how to listen when it&#x27;s time to listen. Mahal ng ating Pangulo ang ating mga OFW. In fact, isa sa mga pinatutunan niya ng pansin ay itong mga OFWs natin,&quot; the senador said.</p><p>Cacdac said he would need over a week to look into the total deployment ban of Filipino domestic helpers to Kuwait.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b55OI0of7VI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chair Raffy Tulfo sought a fresh ban on the deployment of new Filipino household service providers or kasambahays to Kuwait pending the institutionalization of stricter screening protocols for Kuwaitis seeking to hire them.</p>

Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chair Raffy Tulfo sought a fresh ban on the deployment of new Filipino household service providers or kasambahays to Kuwait pending the institutionalization of stricter screening protocols for Kuwaitis seeking to hire them.

Tulfo seeks deployment ban for Filipino domestic workers to Kuwait

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Tulfo seeks deployment ban for Filipino domestic workers to Kuwait

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 21, 2025 02:40 PM PHT

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