Philippine President permanently bans labor export to Kuwait
The President of the Philippines has announced that he will permanently end the sending of Filipino workers to work in Kuwait amid tense diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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| Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: Reuters |
According to Bloomberg news agency, along with this statement, the Philippine leader requested the immediate repatriation of domestic workers in the Middle East and called on other professional workers to do the same.
“The government will do its utmost to help you return and settle down,” Duterte said in a speech after returning to the Philippines on April 29 from a summit with Southeast Asian leaders in Singapore. “I appeal to your patriotism, your love of country and your family,” he said.
There are currently more than 250,000 Filipino citizens working in the Middle Eastern country of Kuwait.
Relations between the Philippines and Kuwait have been rocky since the body of a Filipino domestic worker, Joanna Demafelis, was found in a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait in February this year.
According to Mr. Duterte, the Philippine government plans to immediately repatriate about 700 domestic workers working in Kuwait. These people are currently staying in temporary accommodation.
Although workers in other sectors are free to stay, Mr. Duterte has also urged them to return home. Mr. Duterte also said that because the domestic economy has grown, job opportunities have expanded. In addition, the Philippine president also said that Japan and China are two countries that are ready to receive Filipino workers.
Last week, Kuwait also expelled Manila's ambassador and recalled its ambassador to the Philippines.
The Middle East remains the Philippines’ largest labor market. In 2016, the country sent more than 1 million workers to the region.
