Pres. Duterte considers ‘total ban’ on OFW deployment to Kuwait

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (RENE LUMAWAG/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has described the death of four Filipino women in Kuwait unacceptable, mulling a total ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the oil-rich country.

“We have lost about four Filipino women in the last few months. It’s always in Kuwait,” Duterte said in his speech at the launching of the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank) on Thursday in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila.

Duterte said he discussed the issue with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, advising the latter to talk to government officials of Kuwait.

“So usap kami ni Alan, it’s either — my advice is, we talk to them, state the truth and just tell them that it’s not acceptable anymore. Either we impose a total ban or you can have the correction,” he said.

“I do not want a quarrel with Kuwait. I respect their leaders, but they have to do something about this,” he added.

Asked for comment, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said they will investigate first the real cause of death of the four women.

Bello said if reports are true that the cause of death was maltreatment, then the government will not hesitate to impose a deployment ban in Kuwait.

“He (President Duterte) is considering it because of recent incidents. If the death is a result of maltreatment of their employers, that’s another thing. I will not hesitate to impose a total ban,” Bello said in a chance media interview after the OFBank launching.

Kuwait is one of the top destinations of Filipino household workers. (PNA)