Filipinos in Kuwait advised not to abscond from their sponsors

Contact embassy experts: Fuente

KUWAIT CITY, June 27: Philippines Labor Attaché Rustico Dela Fuente has advised the Philippine community in Kuwait especially domestic workers to avoid absconding from their sponsors, urging them to instead contact the specialists in the embassy for advice and relevant actions, reports Al-Rai daily.

The Embassy of the Philippines in Kuwait recently launched an app for smartphones to follow up the complaints of Philippine workers. Fuente affirmed that this app aims at finding solutions for issues based on misunderstandings that may break out between employees and employers, and enhancing relations between the two parties. He praised the labor law of Kuwait, describing it as one of the best laws in the world.

Fuente explained that the Philippine community in Kuwait comprises of about 250,000 Filipino nationals including 160,000 domestic workers, 95 percent of who are women. The relations between the Philippines and Kuwait have returned to the state it was before, especially after the ban on sending workers to Kuwait was lifted and the agreement to organize the work culture of domestic workers was signed. The joint committee of Kuwait and Philippines, which was formed after the agreement was signed, will meet on Sept 1.

Fuente said the government of Kuwait and the government of the Philippines have agreed to reduce the cost for bringing Filipino workers to Kuwait. Stressing that the Philippines exempts its workers from paying any charges, he revealed that charges are only collected from well-earning workers. Fuente affirmed that the school “TESDA” is a staterun school that trains the workers about the traditions of the hosting country for a charge of $100, adding that the workers receive training for 714 hours in 90 days. He revealed that the Holy Month of Ramadan witnessed the lowest rate of absconding cases — about three or four per day, adding that he hopes this number will reduce further.