By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday called for a review of all labor policies of the government in countries where there are Overseas Filipino Workers.
Gatchalian made the call a day after it was revealed in a joint Senate panel hearing that 196 Filipinos had died in Kuwait in the last three years.
The hearing was held by the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, and Committee on Foreign Relations following the death of Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found in a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait.
“Review all the (policies) in countries kung saan may presence ng OFW regardless ng trabaho doon. Ten million ang OFW sa buong mundo. Dapat isa isahin yan,” he said.
He said if a country did not implement laws to protect the welfare of the OFWs, the deployment of the Filipino workers there should be stopped.
He said if needed, a bilateral agreement with the country in question should be made.
“Wag tayong tamad..Hindi dapat nagpapadala doon until maging fully compliant sila,” he said.