SEN. JUAN Edgardo Angara questions Department of Foreign Affairs officials during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged sexual exploitation of OFW by some Philippine embassy employees and officials. Joseph Vidal/Contributor
The Philippine government’s move to partially lift the deployment ban of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait bodes well for the strained PH-Kuwaiti relations, according to Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.
“The decision of the Philippine government to lift the deployment ban for ‘skilled’ and ‘semi-skilled’ Filipino workers bound for Kuwait is a step in the right direction toward normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries and ensuring full protection of our kababayans in the Gulf nation,” Angara said in a statement on Tuesday.
Angara also expressed his support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s initiatives in safeguarding OFWs.
“The Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte deserves our support for its effort to put in place more practical measures that would guarantee the safety and welfare of Filipinos working in Kuwait and the entire Middle East region,” Angara said.
“We hope that our government will remain steadfast in ensuring that the labor rights of all Filipinos working abroad, especially domestic workers, are upheld and protected at all times,” the senator added.
Diplomatic relations between the two nations were tested after the Philippine government stopped worker deployment amidst reports of violence towards OFWs.
Then, a controversial rescue mission conducted by the Philippine embassy also angered Kuwaiti officials, which led to the expulsion of former Ambassador Renato de Villa from the Gulf state. /je