PH, Kuwait approve draft agreement on OFWs

THE Philippines and Kuwait labor panels have approved the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would provide strong guarantees on the safety and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), particularly household service workers (HSWs).

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd said on Monday that the agreement was reached Friday night after two days of deliberations which, he admitted, almost collapsed after the two panels failed to agree on two contentious issues – to allow Filipino workers to deposit their passports with the Philippine Embassy and give them direct access to their loved ones and with labor and foreign affairs officials.