OFW group calls for ‘persona non grata’ tag vs. Kuwaiti blogger

The Kuwaiti celebrity became controversial for disagreeing with new laws giving Filipino household workers a weekly day-off and the right to keep their passports. (Photo:
sondos_aq/Instagram)

MANILA — A migrant workers’ group on Thursday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to declare Kuwaiti blogger Sondos Alqattan persona non grata.

“Migrante International is challenging the Duterte government to declare Sondos Alqattan a persona non grata. The OFW bloc also wants the Kuwaiti celebrity to be blacklisted and be totally prohibited from hiring Filipino workers,” Migrante Philippines chairperson Armando Hernando said in a statement Thursday.

The group noted that Alqattan stands by her controversial remarks, despite drawing flak on social media and losing deals from her endorsers.

“Sondos is symptomatic of the long-standing impunity caused by the negligence of the government which is why Filipinos are continually being subjected to abuse and maltreatment. The Duterte administration should all the more fulfill its promise of achieving justice for (Joanna) Demafelis and other abused and maltreated OFWs,” Hernando added.

On the other hand, Pinky Alamo, spokesperson of SANDIGAN or Samahan ng mga Domestic Helpers sa Gitnang Silangan, thanked her fellow OFWs who also criticized the Kuwaiti celebrity and appealed to them to storm all social media accounts of Sondos to “discredit and eliminate her influence” and use the hashtags “#SondosApologize” and “#SondosPersonaNonGrata”.

“Maraming salamat sa ating mga kababayan na nanindigan para sa kagalingan ng mga DH (domestic helper) sa (Thank you to our fellow Filipinos who are fighting for the welfare of domestic helpers in the) Middle East. Huwag nating palampasin ang mga ganitong panghahamak sa mga OFW (Let us not let this mockery of our OFWs pass). Sama-sama tayong kumilos at isigaw, (Let us all act and shout) Stop modern-day slavery,” she added.

The Kuwaiti celebrity became controversial for disagreeing with new laws giving Filipino household workers a weekly day-off and the right to keep their passports.