BI starts deployment ban of newly-hired domestic workers to Kuwait

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that it has started the government’s directive to ban the deployment of newly-hired domestic workers to Kuwait.

In a statement released Tuesday, BI acting port operations division chief Grifton Medina said that the immigration officers in the different international ports were advised to “strictly enforce” the ban directed by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).

Medina added the BI implemented the ban after the bureau received a copy of a Jan. 3 resolution released by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), which ordered the partial deployment ban of all newly-hired domestic workers to the Gulf state.

The partial deployment ban was issued after a domestic helper, Jeanalyn Padernel Villavende, allegedly died at the hands of her employer’s wife.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said that the ban would cover first-time household service workers, as well as vacationing household service workers.

Skilled workers and professionals, however, are not covered by the ban, Bello added. Also excluded are workers who were able to obtain an overseas employment certificate, or exit clearance, issued on or before 5 p.m. of Jan. 3.

Medina also issued this warning to agencies who will attempt to circumvent the order: ”Our system is integrated with POEA’s system, hence with a click of a finger, we would be able to verify an overseas Filipino worker’s (OFW) records immediately.”

Edited by MUF