‘PH-Kuwait deal post-Ramadan’
The formal signing of an agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait on the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf nation may be inked after the observance of Ramadan, Malacañang said Tuesday, April 24.
“We still expect the MOA (memorandum of agreement), providing the minimum terms and conditions of employment for OFWs to be signed soon,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. told a press conference.
“The possible date may be after this year’s Ramadan,” he added.
This developed after President Rodrigo Duterte met with Kuwaiti Ambassador Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh in Davao City on Monday, April 23, amid the viral video showing the rescue of alleged abused domestic Filipino domestic helpers in Kuwait.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reportedly presented two protest notes for the “serious offenses” committed by Filipino officials against the Kuwaiti government, which “could harm the friendship relations” between the Philippines and the Arab country.
Kuwait’s protest notes were released in the wake of the alleged move of the Philippine Embassy to rescue alleged maltreated OFWs directly from the homes of their Kuwaiti employers.
But Roque said the “frank but a very cordial” dialogue between Duterte and the Kuwaiti envoy led to both countries’ reaffirmation to maintain “closer” ties.
Roque also stressed that the President was able to iron out the “little misunderstanding” that had cropped up, following the controversial rescue.”
“On the part of the President, his assessment was he’s able to fix a little misundesanding between Kuwait and the Philippines yesterday... The President has his style. And I think, his style worked. And whatever ill feelings that may have resulted because of the leak of the video, the President was able to fix it,” he said.
“They parted on a positive note, emphasizing that while the Philippines will always exercise its obligation to protect its nationals abroad, they will do so in the manner respecting the sovereignty of Kuwait,” he added.