1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Philippines expands ban for workers in Kuwait

Discussion in 'News from The Philippines' started by Bootsonground, Feb 13, 2018.

  1. Bootsonground
    Offline

    Bootsonground Guest

    Good move and well done Duterte..
    Previous liberal administrations have shown zero empathy for their kababayans working in these backward ****holes..

    Filipino workers who were repatriated from Kuwait listen during a dialgoue with a welfare officer upon arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Paranaque, Metro Manila, on Feb 12, 2018.PHOTO: REUTERS

    MANILA (AFP) - The Philippines on Monday (Feb 12) expanded a ban on its citizens working in Kuwait after President Rodrigo Duterte angrily lashed out at the Gulf state over reports of Filipino workers suffering abuse and exploitation.

    Authorities say 252,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait, many as maids. They are among over two million employed in the region, whose remittances are a lifeline to the Philippine economy.

    But Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello on Monday announced a "total ban" on new employment in the country, including Filipinos who had already obtained employment permits but had not yet left for the wealthy oil-producing country.

    Authorities have not ruled out revoking the permits of Filipinos currently working in Kuwait or of previous hires returning on new contracts.

    "With the advent of the series of reports involving abuses and deaths of overseas Filipino workers in Kuwait, a total ban on deployment of all overseas workers ... is hereby enforced," Bello said, reading an order.

    "This order takes effect immediately." The move would affect thousands of workers, labour spokesman Abegail de Vega said.



    The fresh move came after Duterte last month barred Filipinos from seeking work in Kuwait, although the ban exempted those who had already secured permission.

    Last Friday Duterte hit out at Kuwait as he brandished photos reportedly of a Filipina maid found in a freezer, saying she had been "roasted like a pig".

    Duterte has been vocal on the issue of abuse of Filipinos in the Middle East, even threatening a ban on citizens working anywhere in the region.

    He also alleged Arab employers routinely raped their Filipina workers, forced them to work 21 hours each day and fed them scraps.

    "Is there something wrong with your culture? Is there something wrong with your values?" he had said, addressing Kuwait.

    Kuwait's embassy in Manila declined to comment.

    Accounts of Filipinos being subjected to abuse, overwork, rape or dying in suspicious circumstances in the region have long circulated.

    The Philippine foreign affairs department said on Monday authorities were repatriating 10,000 overstaying Filipinos from Kuwait, taking advantage of an amnesty programme arranged with the Kuwaiti government.

    Officials added they were eyeing China and Russia as "alternative markets" for overseas workers.

    http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippines-expands-ban-for-workers-in-kuwait
    • Agree Agree x 2
  2. Bootsonground
    Offline

    Bootsonground Guest

    OWWA officials in hot water over Filipina found in freezer
    ABS-CBN News
    Posted at Feb 13 2018 08:11 AM

    [​IMG]
    Demafelis' mother Eva holds up a photo of her slain daughter. Regi Adosto, ABS-CBN News
    MANILA - Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Tuesday said he has demanded an explanation from Philippine officials in Kuwait who allegedly took no action over the disappearance of a Filipina worker who was eventually found dead in a freezer.

    Bello last week confirmed the death of Filipina maid Joanna Daniela Demafelis. Her body had torture marks and was found stored in a freezer in an apartment in Kuwait, where it may have been kept for over a year.


    The family of Demafelis said they lost contact with her as early as February of 2017 and that they sought help from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to locate her.

    "Ang sagot ng ating welfare officer daw, 'Maghintay-hintay ka. Hindi pa nakikita ang tambak na papel sa harap niya,'" he told DZMM.

    "Kahapon, nag-issue ako ng memo for them to explain their inaction na presented by the sister of Joanna," he added.

    (Our welfare officer allegedly told them, "Just wait, I have to finish this paperwork. Yesterday, I issued a memo for for them to explain their inaction as presented by the sister of Joanna.)

    OWWA officials will face a recall order and administrative charges if their alleged neglect of duty is proven, Bello said.

    http://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/13/18/owwa-officials-in-hot-water-over-filipina-found-in-freezer
  3. graham59
    Offline

    graham59 Banned

    Yes, I know the OFWs need the work, and the country needs the remittances, but it is little more than modern-day slavery. I won't comment on the Arab 'culture'... but you can guess. :erm:
    • Agree Agree x 2
  4. Jim
    Offline

    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    My wife's sister works in Kuwait and has done for a few years, must be lucky to have a good employer and she has time to send lots of videos of her singing on FB.
  5. graham59
    Offline

    graham59 Banned

    We have relatives there too, who seem happy enough, as probably the majority are... once they've become accustomed to living in such a place, and amongst such people (keeping it polite here).

    Of course the raped/abused ones (especially if married) are hardly likely to share their experience with family and friends, so a lot will be suffering in silence.
  6. Drunken Max
    Offline

    Drunken Max Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    WTF
  7. KeithAngel
    Offline

    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

    Perhaps Dirty could just send them his drug dealers a saving on bullets win win:rolleyes:
    • Like Like x 1
  8. Markham
    Offline

    Markham Guest

    He doesn't consume drugs so therefore doesn't have a drug dealer, let alone a spliff-full! :p
  9. KeithAngel
    Offline

    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

    And you know that how?

    Being our resident apologist for Dirty over the years you probably more qualified to comment on the fragrance of his wind:lol:

    He is being investigated by the I.C.C. for crimes against humanity

    "The international criminal court has launched an initial inquiry into allegations of crimes against humanity committed by Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine president, in his brutal anti-drugs crusade.

    A report submitted to the ICC last year laid out evidence that Duterte had been directly responsible for “extrajudicial executions and mass murder” over three decades since he began his war on drugs as mayor of Davao in 1988."

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/08/icc-claims-crimes-against-humanity-duterte-philippines
  10. Markham
    Offline

    Markham Guest

    I know this may sound like a novel notion but Duterte is simply carrying-out his election pledge; who'd have thought it, a politician keeping his promises! In 2015 he stated on the record that were he to become President, he may kill up to 100,000. He's a fair way to go yet. But hey, it doesn't matter what you or any other left-leaner thinks: the Philippine public love him, they voted him into office and he remains the most popular President of modern times.

    Are his alleged crimes any more serious than those perpetrated by Maduro who has killed hundreds and banned all political opposition. Oh wait, I forgot - Maduro is hailed as a god-like figure by those of a Marxist persuasion such as yourself.

    But we're in danger of discussing politics which, as you well know, is not allowed.
  11. KeithAngel
    Offline

    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

    Any one that commits crimes against humanity should be brought to book no matter how locally "popular" not excused by folk that should know better, nothing "Political" about it just a reflection of your morals
    • Agree Agree x 1
  12. Markham
    Offline

    Markham Guest

    "For the many, not the few" ...

    I'm not a Filipino so I was not eligible vote for him or any other contender. But my family did and they and millions of their compatriots knew full well that if Duterte gets elected, he will clean-up the country with his war on drugs; they also knew of his supposed notoriety as Mayor of Davao City and yet they voted him into power in their millions. Duterte is, without a doubt, the most popular President the country has elected in its modern history and, rather uniquely for a politician, he is delivering on his election pledges. That's a rather refreshing change when our system is beset by liars, chancers and anti-democrats.

    So given that the majority of Filipinos elected him, just who do you think you are to pass judgement on their morals? And I certainly won't take any lessons on morality from an ardent activist for a party that holds Venezuela as a model democracy when its President Maduro and his Marxist thugs are responsible for countless human rights abuses, have committed numerous extra-judicial killings and the wide-scale imprisonment without trial of opposition politicians. There will shortly be an election but his will be the only name on the ballot as he has banned all opposition party leaders from standing. And there's a mass exodus of starving citizenry into neighbouring countries, principally Colombia. Are any of these things taking place in the Philippines?
  13. Anon04576
    Offline

    Anon04576 Well-Known Member

    To clarify, when you say “clean-up” you mean kill people don’t you?

    I don’t think anyone was passing judgement on Filipinos but merely stating accountability of the person who gave the go-ahead for the (cough) “clean-up”.
    • Agree Agree x 2
  14. Markham
    Offline

    Markham Guest

    The phrase "clean-up" in relation to the country's drug problems has been common parlance for a number of years prior to Duterte's election (and since). It means to remove drugs from the streets and I guess you could, cynically, add "by all possible means". I believe I'm correct in saying that Tomas Osmena has been just as pro-active in dealing with the drugs and other antisocial behavioural problems in Cebu during his three quite lengthy terms as mayor as Duterte was in Davao (the latter's tenure as Davao's mayor is broadly parallel to Osmena's mayoralty). The difference is that he, Osmena, was less successful numbers-wise and didn't have the same impact as Duterte but then Cebu was never quite as lawless as Davao was when Duterte was first appointed city prosecutor.

    It's worth bearing in mind that the loss of life of those involved with the drugs trade since Duterte became President is somewhat less than those who voluntarily renounced that life style and considerably less than the thousands who opted for rehab. The drugs trade is dirty and Big Money is involved. A number of those slain will have been executed on the orders of those higher up the chain as an example. The war on drugs has also been used as a convenient cover by some to disguise honour killings that have nothing to do with drugs trade. And yes, some will have been executed by corrupt cops.

    It was the Filipino electorate who gave the go-ahead for the "clean-up" by voting in the one candidate who made that his electoral pledge.
  15. oss
    Offline

    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    https://thediplomat.com/2017/01/the-problem-with-wars-on-drugs-from-nixon-to-duterte/
    • Like Like x 1
  16. KeithAngel
    Offline

    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

    "Supposed notoriety" that you, for years have always denied!

    I am not passing any judgement on Filipino,s morality

    Just Yours

    It is the International Criminal Court in the Hauge that is investigating him as they should, along with individuals from any other regimes that commit crimes against humanity.

    What find shocking, is that you, claim members of your own family were "cleaned up" in Poland whilst you support such actions in the Fils
  17. Markham
    Offline

    Markham Guest

    A man is innocent until he is proven guilty: a basic human right which you would deny Duterte because he doesn't conform to your neoliberal world view.

    So, in your view, it's quite acceptable for Maley and my wife - both of whom are Filipinas - to voice their support for Duterte but morally-unacceptable for me to do something similar?

    I am sure he is quaking in his flip-flops. Not. By the same token, do you not think that Maduro should be investigated by the court in the Hague, or North Korea's Kim whose bizarre execution techniques against senior officials - including his own uncle - are truly horrific and include running tanks back and forth over their bodies, breaking all their bones and gradually crushing them to death. Kim starves his people whilst threatening the world with his nuclear arsenal. Or how about Stalin or Mao Zedung who are responsible for millions of deaths - I know they're dead but should they have been investigated?

    I do not nor ever have supported extra-judicial executions so I find your comparison offensive.
    • Winner Winner x 1
  18. Markham
    Offline

    Markham Guest

    Without intending - or wishing - to sound patronising, that article was written by a well-heeled 18/19 year old Philippine student who's currently an undergraduate at a Canadian university. Coming from a "good family", being of tender years and (likely) mixing only with his own "kind", what could he possibly know about life, let alone the trials and tribulations experienced daily by the vast majority of the population who don't share his background or advantages. Nixon's so-called war on drugs was half-hearted and staged as PR exercise, a sop to public opinion; Duterte's is anything but.
  19. Bootsonground
    Offline

    Bootsonground Guest

    [​IMG]
    Kuwait condemns Philippines' worker ban

    Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs suggest Duterte could damage ties between the two countries

    Kuwait City: A top Kuwaiti official condemned on Tuesday a call by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to evacuate his country's workers from Kuwait, suggesting Duterte could damage ties between the two countries.

    Duterte said last week that his government would ask private airlines to evacuate Filipino nationals from Kuwait within 72 hours, after the discovery of the dead body of a Filipino migrant worker in a freezer.




    Two planes full of workers arrived in Manila from Kuwait on Monday on flights provided for free by commercial airlines at the president's request.

    Why 'total ban' on deployment of OFWs wont work
    Ban on OFWs in Kuwait creates confusion
    Total ban order for OFWs in Kuwait issued
    Filipina housemaid's body found in freezer

    On Sunday, the Philippine labour minister said more than 2,200 Filipinos were ready to take up Duterte's offer.

    High-level contact with the Philippines
    "We are surprised and we condemn statements from the Philippine president, especially as we are in contact with the Philippines on a high level to explain the workers' conditions in Kuwait," said Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah.

    He was speaking at a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a meeting in Kuwait of the global coalition against Daesh.

    '170,000 Filipinos living a decent life in Kuwait'
    "Escalation does not serve the ties between Kuwait and the Philippines," Shaikh Sabah said, adding that 170,000 Filipinos "live a decent life in Kuwait ... but separate accidents unfortunately happen, and we are providing our Filipino counterparts with the results of the investigations."


    http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/kuwait/kuwait-condemns-philippines-worker-ban-1.2173903
  20. graham59
    Offline

    graham59 Banned

    Handing back the slaves was never going to be easy.

Share This Page