(Eagle News) — The Department of Labor and Employment on Friday announced a suspension of deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers to Kuwait.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III issued Administrative Order No. 25 on Friday afternoon suspending the sending of OFWs to Kuwait pending the investigation on the deaths of seven OFWs in Kuwait.
The order read, “In the interest of justice, pending the investigation of the cause of deaths of the following Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Kuwait, namely: Liezl Truz Hukdong, Vanessa Karissha L. Esguerra, Maria Fe Saliling Librada, Arlene Castillo Manzano, Devine Riche Encarnacion, Patrick Sunga, Mira Luna Juntilla, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is hereby directed to suspend the processing of Overseas Filipino Certificates for deployment in Kuwait.
Bello, who signed the order, said it was immediately executory.
The announcement came a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said he was mulling a total ban on the deployment following reports of sexual abuses of OFWs there.
Duterte said in a speech at the launch of the OFW bank that the country has “lost” four OFWs in Kuwait in the last few months.
“I do not want a quarrel with Kuwait. I respect their leaders but they have to do something about this because many of the women commit suicide. They claim abuse, sexual, and they endure,” he said.
Many Filipinos work as helpers in Kuwait.