Philippine DFA: No Final Call Yet on Kuwait Worker Deployment Ban

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the Philippines has made it clear that no final decision has been reached regarding a proposed ban on sending Filipino workers to Kuwait. This clarification came from Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega, who addressed the issue after Kuwaiti media reported that the ban was already in place. De Vega emphasized that discussions between the DFA and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) are ongoing, and no ban has been officially implemented. He expressed concerns about the credibility of a temporary ban, suggesting that any decision should have a lasting impact and be backed by stronger guarantees than those provided in the 2018 agreement with Kuwait. De Vega also mentioned that stricter hiring rules for household workers are likely to be introduced. When asked about the DFA’s stance on a ban, De Vega deferred to the DMW, stressing the importance of a well-considered decision to maintain stable bilateral relations, especially after recent high-level talks between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Kuwaiti emir. The call for a ban was initially made by Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, following the tragic deaths of Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait, including Dafnie Nacalaban. Tulfo advocated for a ban until the Philippine government could negotiate additional hiring requirements with Kuwaiti officials, such as neuro-psychiatric evaluations and proof of financial capacity for employers.