One hundred seventy-seven (177) OFWs from Kuwait arrived in Manila today, 18 February 2018.  The OFWs, majority of whom are household service workers who availed of the Kuwaiti government’s amnesty program, were repatriated through the efforts of the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OMWA) and the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.

This puts the running total of repatriated OFWs from Kuwait to around 1700.

The repatriated OFWs will be leaving for their home provinces after receiving Php 5,000 each in financial assistance from the DFA.  Many of them expressed their desire to seek employment opportunities in countries other than those in the Middle East.

Many of the distressed OFWs are victims of illegal recruitment who entered Kuwait through neighboring countries.

The DFA continues to negotiate with the Kuwaiti government for an extension of the amnesty program which will allow undocumented OFWs to process the documents that they need to work legally in Kuwait.

DFA-OMWA and the Embassy have been strengthening its campaign to educate and inform about human trafficking to prevent them from falling prey to unscrupulous groups and individuals.  The Embassy, on its part, is quick to respond to reports of abuses from distressed OFWs and has been offering a temporary shelter for OFWs who escape from abusive employers and who seek refuge in the Embassy.

DFA-OMWA and the Embassy continue to work closely with the Kuwaiti government in protecting and promoting the rights and welfare of OFWs in Kuwait. END