Kuwait extends amnesty program for undocumented Pinoys until April 22

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/overseas/02/15/ofw-kuwait-labour.jpg"/><figcaption>Filipino workers who were repatriated from Kuwait take part in a dialogue with a Department of Labour official at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. <em>Erik De Castro, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Kuwait on Tuesday said it would extend its amnesty program until April 22 to allow undocumented Filipinos to rectify their status or exit without being fined.</p><p>Over 2,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state have returned to the Philippines since the program began last Jan. 29.</p><p>The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) had earlier said Filipinos who wish to avail themselves of the amnesty may reach out to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) at the embassy.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JUST IN: Kuwait extends amnesty till April 22, 2018 to undocumented or overstaying expats to rectify their residence status or go home without paying fines. Around 2,000 out of the 10,000 undocumented OFWs in Kwt have gone home since the amnesty started Jan. 29, 2018 <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/LyWuJR6eEY">pic.twitter.com/LyWuJR6eEY</a></p>— Maxxy Santiago (@maxxymize) <a href="https://twitter.com/maxxymize/status/965921337981186048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac had earlier said that repatriated OFWs will receive livelihood assistance of P20,000 and P5,000 cash from the government.</p><p>Thousands of Filipinos working in Kuwait have returned to the Philippines as part of the government&#x27;s repatriation program.</p><p>The Philippines earlier this month also ordered a deployment ban on workers to Kuwait in light of recently reported deaths of Filipinos in the Gulf state, including Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found in a freezer earlier this month more than a year since she went missing.</p><p>Data from the OWWA show that there are 251,000 documented OFWs working in Kuwait. </p><p>Of this number, 163,000 are employed as household service workers.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/15/18/labor-chief-defends-duterte-on-ofw-deployment-ban-to-kuwait">Labor chief defends Duterte on OFW deployment ban to Kuwait</a></li>	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/09/18/the-filipino-is-no-slave-duterte-fumes-at-latest-pinay-death-in-kuwait">&#x27;The Filipino is no slave&#x27;: Duterte fumes at latest Pinay death in Kuwait</a></li></ul><div><strong>-- with a report from Maxxy Santiago, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>Over 2,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state have returned to the Philippines since the program began last Jan. 29.</p>

Over 2,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state have returned to the Philippines since the program began last Jan. 29.