Philippine Foreign Affairs Department Examines Potential Kuwait Deployment Ban

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the Philippines is currently analyzing the implications of a proposed ban on deploying Filipino workers to Kuwait, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. Speaking on Friday, Manalo indicated that no final decision has been made yet regarding the ban. He emphasized that the proposal is still under review, and the DFA is working closely with the Department of Migrant Workers to assess various factors involved. In a discussion on PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, Manalo highlighted the importance of balancing the safety of Filipino workers with maintaining diplomatic relations with Kuwait. He noted that the DFA is meticulously studying the potential outcomes of such a ban. The call for a ban was spurred by Senate Committee on Migrant Workers chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo, who advocated for it after several Filipino domestic workers, including Dafnie Nacalaban, were found dead in Kuwait. Nacalaban’s body was discovered buried in her employer’s yard in Saad Al-Abdullah, Jahra. Tulfo stressed the need for a ban until the Philippine government can negotiate with Kuwaiti authorities to establish stricter hiring requirements for foreign employers.