Duterte to check on OFWs in Kuwait

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duter te is planning to visit Kuwait amid the issue involving the situation of Filipinos working in the Gulf state, Malacañang confirmed on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Palace spokesman Harry Roque confirmed that Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh extended the invitation during his meeting with the President in Malacañang on Wednesday night.

“It’ s confidential ... but since he [Duterte] already announced it, ye s , then I can make confirmation. Although I was told I should not but the trip is in the offing to Kuwait,” Roque said during a news conference.

The Palace official did not provide details on when Duter te would visit Kuwait but added that the President wanted to personally check on the situation of overseas Filipino workers( OFW) there.

“I don’t know [the other details] because only the President met with the ambassador. No one was allowed in the room. I can only surmise that the invitation was made during the meeting ,” Roque said.

“Kuwait wants to assure the President that[ Filipinos] are protected in Kuwait and to see for himself ,” he added.

Du te rte earlier ordered a suspension of deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait over the deaths of Filipinos there.

According to the President, all Filipinos in Kuwait might as well go back home if another Philippine worker dies in the Gulf state.

“One more incident about a woman, a Filip in a being raped there, I’ m going to stop, I’ m going to ban[ deployment there ],” Du te rte said in a speech l ate last month.

“I’m sorry. The Filipinos there, you can all go home. Tutalkapag umaliskayongmga [ Anyway, if you all return to the Philip - pines], they will also be having a hell of a time adjusting there,” he added.

Du te rte said he does not want a quarrel with Kuwait but he issued an appeal to Kuwait and other Arab nations to ensure that OF W st here are treated humanely.

On Monday, Labor Secretary Silve st re Bel lo 3 rd announced that they are still mulling whether they will “make the suspension a total ban or to lift it .”

An estimated 250,000 Filipinos are working in Kuwait ,75 percent of them as domestic helpers.