By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
PRIME MINISTER Peter O’Neill of Papua New Guinea arrived in Manila on Tuesday for an official visit until Thursday, May 17, Malacañang said.
The Presidential News Desk (PND) said Prime Minister Mr. O’Neill is set to have a bilateral meeting with Mr. Duterte on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. Duterte will also hold a state banquet on Wednesday night, PND said.
In his press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said the meeting between the two leaders will “reaffirm and further strengthen the friendly and cooperative ties” between the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.
Mr. O’Neill, according to the PND, will cap his visit with a tour of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
Papua New Guinea is this year’s chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
DEPLOYMENT TO KUWAIT
The Palace also announced on Tuesday that Mr. Duterte has ordered the lifting of the deployment ban on “skilled and semi-skilled” Filipino workers to Kuwait.
“By now, it should have been lifted already because that is the plan of Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III,” Mr. Roque said.
He also said at least “20,000” Kuwait-bound skilled and semi-skilled workers will be deployed.
As for domestic workers, Mr. Roque said “eventually” the ban will also be lifted.
“Hindi ko lang po alam kung kailan, at kung ano pa iyong mga repormang gagawin ng DoLE (I do not know the date yet and what other reforms DoLE will make.),” he added.
The governments of Kuwait and the Philippines signed last Friday, May 11, a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) aimed at ensuring the safety and security of Filipino workers in the Gulf state.
Kuwait agreed on the repatriation of distressed Filipino workers, to set up a special police unit to assist the Philippine Embassy, and to launch a 24/7 hotline to assist distressed workers.

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