PH, Kuwait agree on final draft of MOU on OFWs

After a brief “impasse,” the Philippine government and Kuwaiti officials approved the final draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Manila last Friday.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III said both parties agreed to have the signing of the draft MOU in two weeks time.

“There is no deadlock anymore,” Bello said in an interview. “The two parties agreed to have the signing of the draft MOU in two weeks time – most likely in Kuwait.”

Earlier, the Philippine labor chief revealed that the “impasse” was caused by two contentious issues – that of the passport and the contract.

“They want the contract to be a contract governed by the Kuwaiti government. The contract should be in accordance with Kuwaiti laws,” Bello said.

But he did not elaborate the issue on the passport.

Later, it was revealed that Kuwaiti offi- cials did not agree with the proposal that employers should not withhold the passport of the OFW but this was already resolved.

Bello also revealed earlier that the Kuwaiti officials did not oppose the proposal to allow the OFWs to use their cellphones.

He said they also agreed that when an OFW will be transferred from one employer to another, there should be a written consent from the OFW and approved in writing by the labor attaché.

Bello said they also proposed that the employer should open a bank account for the overseas worker where their salary will be deposited.

When asked if the total ban on the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait will be lifted already once an agreement has been signed, Bello repeated what President Duterte said earlier.

“If you recall when the President ordered the total deployment ban he said he will consider lifting the ban if there will be an MOU and (Johanna) Demafelis is given justice,” he said.

Demafelis was the Filipina found dead inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait.