Kuwait And Philippines Agreement

11 Déc Kuwait And Philippines Agreement

The authorities of both countries held talks to ease diplomatic tensions. On February 14, 2018, the governments of Kuwait and the Philippines announced that they had agreed to sign an agreement on working conditions. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was also invited to a state visit to Kuwait. [6] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) – Officials from the Philippines and Kuwait have signed an agreement on the proposed standard employment contract for Filipino foreign workers in the Gulf state, as announced Tuesday by the Ministry of Labour. A joint committee, led by senior Philippine and Kuwaiti officials, has been set up to monitor the implementation of the agreement and to propose recommendations to ensure the well-being of Filipino domestic workers. The issue of implementing the bilateral labour agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait to ensure the well-being and safety of some 260,000 Filipinos living in Kuwait – most domestic workers – needs to be addressed urgently. The model contract for THE OFWs is included in an employment contract between the two countries in 2018 – an agreement drawn up to protect the welfare of Filipino workers in the Gulf state. Labour representatives had previously attributed the delay to their completion to differences of opinion on certain rules of the provision. Despite Kuwait`s action against the Philippine ambassador and his own envoy to Manila, Philippine Foreign Minister Alan Peter Cayetano said on April 25 that the agreement would be signed in the Philippines and that the Kuwaiti government had continued the agreement. Cayetano also encouraged Duterte to accept Kuwait`s invitation to a state visit to the Middle East country.

[15] The Philippines and Kuwait are moving closer to the definition of standard employment contracts to ensure that Filipino domestic workers are protected by law, officials said Tuesday. Following joint talks over the weekend, Kuwait and Manila both said on Tuesday they were approaching a formal agreement that will protect domestic workers in Kuwait, often abused by their employers. The meeting comes weeks after the Philippines reintroduced a ban on workers entering the Philippines after mistreating Filipino workers by their Kuwaiti employers. Kuwait`s Deputy Foreign Minister Sami Al-Hamad said there were adequate procedures for recruiting indigenous peoples and added: « The two sides have agreed on cooperation and are making sure that the rights of kuwait`s Filipino diaspora are protected. » But President Rodrigo Duterte said shortly afterward that the labor ban was « permanent. » [16] Duterte also stated that the signing of the employment contract with Kuwait would not be necessary and that he would not travel to the Gulf country. [17] Harry Roque, the Philippine president`s spokesman, later contradicted Dutere`s statement that the ban was not « permanent » and could still be lifted. [18] The agreement was signed in Kuwait by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al Khalid Al Sabah and Philippine Foreign Minister Alan Peter Cayetano. On 6 March, Mr. Duterte laid down two conditions for the lifting of the ban on working in Kuwait; the signing of an agreement on labour policy between Kuwait and the Philippines, and « justice » in relation to the death of Joanna Demafelis. [13] On 16 March, a draft agreement was drawn up by officials from both countries and was due to be signed in Kuwait in two weeks.

[14] After the signing of the new agreement on Friday, Philippine officials said that a new ambassador would be appointed to Kuwait and that President Duterte would advise lifting his entry ban.