DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte had one urgent message, salaam or peace, when he sent envoys to Kuwait to fix the ruffled ties between the Philippines and the Arab country.
He sent presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and special envoy to Kuwait Abduliah Mama-o to lead the team, together with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr., to dialogue with Kuwaiti officials.
Duterte said he had approved the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Philippines and Kuwait that would provide better treatment of OFWs in the Gulf state.
Also with Mama-o were former labor secretary Mariano Roque, labor attaché Rustico dela Fuente and deputy chief of mission in Kuwait Mohd Noordin Lomondot.
The President said he had specific instruction for Mamao.
“If all the conditions are in the MOU, I said I am OK. Mama-o called me earlier, saying the memorandum seemed OK, as all the conditions are included in it. I said, OK, you can sign it. I am not going there anymore. Perhaps, one day, I said,” the President added.
The MOU was signed by Bello and his counterpart in Kuwait.
The Kuwaiti government also agreed to the release of the four Filipino drivers arrested by Kuwaiti officials for helping in the controversial rescue of OFWs.
The President revealed that he asked for certain conditions to be met for better treatment of OFWs.
The President also said that he asked that the workers be given at least seven hours of sleep, to be able to cook their own food; they should keep their cell phones; the Philippine embassy keeps their passports and they have a day off.
Duterte also asked for a special police unit in Kuwait that would attend to the complaints of the OFWs.
“So if these are complied with… and no physical abuse. If they have complaints, they call the special police for Filipinos, and if they are abused, they should be able to contact us),” he added.
The President also cited the efforts of Mama-o as special envoy to Kuwait.
“I told him to fix this because discussion weren’t going well. He’s my fraternity brother. He was also my classmate from first year to fourth year. We understand each other as we are both Maranao,” he added.
For his part, Roque revealed yesterday that top Kuwait officials are open to amendments of model employment contracts for domestic helpers from 91 countries to improve their conditions in the Gulf state.
“Under the model contract, workers would enjoy the following: one day off, 12-hour sleep or rest period, protection from physical abuse and the right to a decent meal,” Roque said in a statement last night.
Kuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Economic Development Hind Sabeeh Barrak Al-Sabeeh relayed the development during the meeting with Bello and other Philippine officials.
Roque noted that the Philippines is currently the fourth country with the largest number of domestic helpers employed in Kuwait.
Al-Sabeeh talked about Kuwait’s desire to be known as a center for humanitarian concerns, adding that the mandate of the Emir of Kuwait is for all residents in their country “to have a happy life.”
She also announced the transfer of jurisdiction over domestic helpers from the Interior Ministry to the Labor Ministry, signifying the Kuwaiti government’s intention to subject domestic helpers to the same terms and conditions offered to skilled and semi-skilled workers.
The Philippine delegation also met with Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Al-Khaled Sulaiman Al-Jarallah, who assured them that the release of the three Filipino diplomats is now being worked out with the Interior Ministry.
Quoting the deputy foreign minister, Roque added that the Kuwaiti government would allow more than 500 remaining undocumented Filipinos to go home at Kuwait’s expense.
Roque and Bello had met with a member of the House of Al Sabah, the ruling family of Kuwait, who asked the presidential spokesman to deliver a personal message to President Duterte.
SOURCE : philstar
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