Manila plans labor talks with Kuwait as Marcos visits wake

MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr asked if there are “weaknesses” in the labor agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait following the brutal murder of an overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait. He said a bilateral meeting is being scheduled with Kuwait to check the present agreement between the two countries.

“We are also scheduling bilateral meetings with Kuwait to look at the agreement that we have to see if there are weaknesses in the agreement that allow this to happen and to make sure that those weaknesses are remedied,”

Marcos said after visiting Jullebee Ranara’s wake. “We hope this will never happen again to anyone of our countrymen,” he added. Marcos also guaranteed to the bereaved family that the government would attend to all their needs, including scholarships for the children. “She sacrificed and worked abroad because she had dreams for her family. But now that your daughter is gone, we’ll help you fulfill her dreams,” Marcos said.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople said the DMW did not see the need to implement a deployment ban to Kuwait following Ranara’s death. “If you impose a deployment ban, you are sending a message that Kuwait is not suitable for workers,” she said at a separate press conference. The DMW also lodged an order for the preventive suspension of the employer of Ranara. The charred remains of Ranara, 35, were discovered in the Salmi desert last week. It was reported she was pregnant and had been subjected to blunt-force trauma. The 17-year-old son of her employer was arrested by police.

On Sunday, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received Charge D’Affaires of the Philippines Embassy in Kuwait Jose Cabrera at his office to express heartfelt condolences for the death of Ranara. Sheikh Salem condemned “the regrettable and despicable crime”, saying it runs counter to the humane nature of the Kuwaiti people. Renewing condolences to the Filipino government, people and the family of the victim, he affirmed that “justice will be served in this case with full credibility and transparency”.

The minister reaffirmed commitment of Kuwait to protect and care for the safety and rights of all expatriate workers on its land, including the Filipino community, as per the provisions of its national laws and international norms. He appreciated the role of the Filipino community in all sectors of the state, expressing hope that “this individual act would not affect the friendship between the peoples of Kuwait and Philippines”. – Agencies