PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte is set to fly to Sara, Iloilo this week to visit the wake of Joanna Daniela Demafelis, the Filipina domestic helper who was murdered and kept inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait. The case, the latest in a series of reported abuses, has prompted Mr. Duterte to declare a ban on OFW deployment to the Gulf state. Presidential Spokesperson Herminio Harry L. Roque, Jr. said the government is providing the Demafelis family with burial and financial assistance. “I am sure the President will announce other contributions,” Mr. Roque added. In a separate statement last week, Mr. Roque pointed out that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has standard social benefits for the family of Ms. Demafelis, including livelihood and educational benefits. — Arjay L. Balinbin
