Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, has renewed his call for a deployment ban on new Filipino household service workers (kasambahays) to Kuwait. This follows recent killings of Filipino domestic workers, including Dafnie Nacalaban, in the country.
During a Senate hearing on January 21, Tulfo revealed he receives an average of 150 complaints from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) worldwide. These complaints range from abuse and maltreatment to non-payment of wages by foreign employers.
The senator emphasized that Filipino domestic workers are generally hardworking, with issues often arising from abusive employers who, he said, were not properly screened.
“Continuing the deployment of new Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait without fixing the current system is like sending our workers to the lion’s den,” according to him.
Tulfo urged the government to reinstate the ban until it holds discussions with Kuwaiti officials to implement stricter requirements for employers. These should include neuro-psychiatric evaluations, police clearances, and proof of financial capacity to ensure proper compensation for workers.
He also proposed mandatory spot inspections of employers’ households and requiring foreign employers to attend seminars on Filipino culture before hiring OFWs.IMT
