Marcos rejects total deployment ban to Kuwait

President Marcos on Friday rejected a proposal to impose a total deployment ban to Kuwait after the Gulf state suspended the issuance of visas for new Filipino workers. The President told reporters he did not want to “burn any bridges,” and assured overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that the government would continue to negotiate with the Kuwaiti government to lift the suspension of the issuance of visas to Filipinos. “I’m never very comfortable imposing a ban,” Mr. Marcos said, adding that a total deployment ban is sometimes an “overreaction.” “We can’t do anything. It’s their country. Those are their rules. So, we will just leave that issue open and hopefully we will continue to negotiate with them,” he said. Pangasinan Rep. Rachel Arenas, chair of the House committee on foreign affairs, earlier proposed a total deployment ban to Kuwait due to “heinous crimes committed” against OFWs. —Nestor Corrales

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