By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The guidelines for the deployment of Filipino household service workers to Kuwait will be released next week.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III made the revelation in a hearing by the Senate committee on labor on Wednesday, May 23, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said he had yet to see “guarantees” on the conditions agreed upon by the Philippines and Kuwait in a signed pact on May 11, before he can sign the order totally lifting the ban on the deployment of OFWs to the Gulf state.
The signing was the culmination of a turnaround in the two countries’ relations, which had been strained after a rescue by Philippine embassy officials which was deemed illegal by Kuwait.
After the incident, Kuwait recalled its Manila representative, and expelled Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa.
According to Bello, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has begun writing the guidelines, which need to be released before Filipino household service workers are allowed to work in the Gulf state.
“But these guidelines only refer to the household service workers dahil nga skilled workers are not covered by this (Memorandum of Understanding),” he said, apparently referring to the pact signed between the Philippines and Kuwait for OFW protection on May 11.
According to Bello, skilled workers who have contracts in Kuwait may leave the country for the Gulf state any time.