(Eagle News) — Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the total ban on the deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers to Kuwait was “necessary.”
The Philippines, however, “must be prepared to handle the consequences” for trade relations.
According to Drilon, although he “do(es) not know what the details of the trade relations between the two countries” are, “certainly, from (his) experience before, these accepting countries would resort to all kinds of pressure on the Philippines.”
“We should be able to withstand any pressure Kuwait may put on us in terms of trade relations,” he said.
In the aspect of labor, he said the “long-term objective is to come up with a labor agreement between Kuwait and the Philippines to define strictly the status and protection to our workers.”
On Monday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced the total ban on the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait.
This was after the body of a Filipina was discovered in a freezer in an abandoned apartment, and amid other reported abuses.