By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte on Sunday said he will no longer pursue the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the protection of Filipino workers in Kuwait, following the expulsion last week of Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato O. Villa.
“No!” Mr. Duterte said when asked if he would still pursue the MoU. He was addressing a press conference on Sunday morning at Davao International Airport upon his arrival from Singapore.
He added: “The ban stays permanently. There will be no more recruitment, especially [of] domestic helpers.”
Mr. Duterte’s arrival statement also went in part: “The Philippines and Kuwait have a shared history that both sides must learn to value. We have good relations with Kuwait. We helped Kuwait before. We can still help each other now. Current developments, however, test our commitment to work together. We must be undeterred in the work of helping our fellow human beings as we pursue our shared interests with due respect [for] each other’s sovereignty.”
The President also appealed to the estimated OFWs in Kuwait to return to the Philippines “For Filipino professionals who may wish to stay in Kuwait, there is really no problem. But at the same time, I would like them to cherish and nurture patriotism. You can stay there. For Filipino household Service workers, if your Kuwaiti employers want you to leave, then please come home. Your government will do its best to help you return and resettle. I appeal to your sense of patriotism and to your love of country and family,” he said.
The new employment opportunities for affected OFWs now, according to the President, is to teach English in China. “China is getting some 1,000 teachers. Maybe we can give them the preference. If they are adept in the English language, then I will be going to communicate with my friend, how he can help us.”
“But they estimate that within five years we would be sending something like 100,000 English teachers from the Philippines,” he added.
For his part, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on economic affairs, said he supports Mr. Duterte’s decision to have OFWs deployed in Kuwait repatriated.
“The recent difficulties experienced between our countries have exposed serious threats to the safety and well-being of our OFWs in jeopardy. The Philippine government must stand strong and demand from the Kuwaiti government concrete action to safeguard the fundamental human rights of OFWs in their country. The signing of the MoA should be a good first step in achieving this goal. Our OFWs do not deserve to be treated like slaves,” the Senator said in a text message to reporters.
But Akbayan Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, for her part, said Mr. Duterte “stop gambling with the lives and employment” of OFWs in Kuwait. “Are we even talking about the same Philippines? President Duterte is promising our OFWs jobs back in our country when he can’t even sign an Executive Order (EO) to address labor contractualization and protect the workers’ security of tenure. His administration doesn’t even have an alternative economic strategy to the country’s labor export policy,” she said in a statement.
She added: “I appeal to the President to think this through. This is not the time for cavalier diplomacy. I urge him to conduct extensive foreign policy and labor dialogues and consultations with his Cabinet, the Legislature, foreign affairs experts, labor groups and other stakeholders to find a truly diplomatic and sustainable solution to this crisis.”
Senator Richard J. Gordon, for his part, said: “We have had good relations with Kuwait whom the Philippines fully supported when it was invaded by Iraq under Saddam Hussein… It should also not be allowed to affect the country’s image and relations with other countries,” he said in a statement. — with Camille A. Aguinaldo

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