More than a month after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Philippines and Kuwait to protect the rights of Overseas Filipino Workers, not a single household service worker (HSW) bound to Kuwait was allowed to leave the country.
It can be recalled that it was on May 12 when the “Agreement on the Employment of Domestic Workers between the Philippines and Kuwait” was signed while May 16 when Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte official lifted the total deployment ban.
But according to several recruitment agencies, newly-hired HSW bound to Kuwait are yet to leave the country.
In a statement released by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, they explained that a resolution is still needed to be passed before they can allow HSW to work in Kuwait again.
After this resolution is the implementing rules and guidelines that need a 15-day publication period.
“We just want to make sure that everything under the memorandum of understanding will get implemented,” says POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia.
The good news is, the publication period regarding the new guidelines for the deployment of newly hired HSW will be over this coming Friday, July 6. This will indicate that the deployment of HSW to Kuwait has been fully restored.
“We will wait for the job orders from the Philippine Overseas Labor & Office (POLO) and once they accredit it, we can start processing applications again,” Olalia explains.
The Philippines is further expecting that because of the agreement, the maltreatment of OFWs to Kuwait will put to stop.
In the new employment contract, things like the right to communication, right to hold their travel document, standard working hours, rest period, and others are clearly indicated on it.
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