KABAYAN PARTY-LIST
(Kabalikat ng Mamamayan)
Rep. Ron P. Salo - 09177292437
Rep. Ciriaco S. Calalang - 09202940156
KABAYAN PARTY-LIST CALLS FOR SUSPENSION OF PHL-KUWAIT MOU, ISSUANCE OF NOTE VERBALE, AND SUMMONING OF KUWAIT ENVOY TO MALACANANG
We commend President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in his swift decision to order the immediate voluntary repatriation of OFWs from Kuwait. In addition to this decisive move, we, the KABAYAN Party-list Representatives ask the President to also immediately suspend the 2012 labor MOU of the Philippines with Kuwait in protest of the latest revealed incident of gruesome violence against a Pinay domestic helper in Kuwait.
In 2012, there was a new “Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of the State of Kuwait and The Government of the Republic of the Philippines in the Field of Labor Cooperation” signed on March 23.
The MOU was supposed to have a joint working group tasked to: (a) ensure the implementation of the MOU; (b) jointly review and agree on a standard employment contract (for OFWs); (c) propose revisions of the MOU as may be necessary and to resolve problems in its implementation; and, (d) study emerging employment opportunities and suggest measures of technical cooperation, training skill enhancement and to provide all the sectors with technically skilled personnel for the benefit of both parties.
It is very apparent now that this bilateral pact is in dire need of strengthening and if it cannot be improved, then it may have to be abandoned.
The Kuwait Times and the Arab Times Online both reported on the tragic fate suffered by a Filipina found dead inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait.
Perhaps, it will be good to our OFWs for our President to summon to Malacanang the Ambassador of Kuwait in order to formally explain the measures being undertaken by the Kuwait Government to protect the rights of our OFWs and why the Philippine Government should not cancel the MOU.
We also urge the DFA to swiftly issue a note verbale to formally serve notice to the Government of Kuwait the disappointment of the entire Philippines at how Kuwaitis have been treating their Filipino domestic helpers. (END)
REFERENCES
http://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/murdered-maid-found-freezer-closed-flat/http://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/dead-body-filipina-kept-freezer-1-year-found/Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=89191.0