Palace backs review of PH-Kuwait MOU after OFW death

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday backed the call to review Manila’s memorandum of agreement with Kuwait after another overseas Filipino worker (OFW) died in the Gulf State.

“The Secretary of Labor has already issued an official statement. He’s putting the government of Kuwait to task for the murder of our countryman.  He is investigating it and the DFA is waiting for a note of his report,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Migrants’ rights advocates have called on the government to review its MOU with Kuwait after an OFW died at the hands of her employer with a “cucumber” inside her private part.

READ: OFW dies in Kuwait; ‘cucumber’ found inside her private part – DOLE

Asked about the call, Panelo said the government was willing to review it.

“I think we should [review it] because according to Secretary Bello, there has been a breach in the agreement signed by the two countries,” he said.

Panelo said Bello was “handling it well,” referring to the latest incident.

Kuwait had earlier earned the ire of Duterte after several deaths and abuses on OFWs were reported. The President even threatened to pull out the OFWs should the incidents continue.

READ: Duterte to Kuwait: If abuse of OFWs continues, we’ll pull them out

To address this, the Philippines and Kuwait signed an agreement in May 2018 for the better protection of OFWs there. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)