’Filipino No Slave To Anyone Anywhere ... Everywhere’

Senators voice support

Also, some senators voiced support for the deployment ban. Emmanuel Joel Villanueva — who currently heads the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development — condemned the killing of Joanna. “We strongly condemn the brutal killing of another Filipina whose body was discovered in a freezer where it may have been kept for over a year. How many more are being brutalized?” Villanueva said in a statement.

“We are outraged by this latest horrible crime against our overseas Filipino workers,” he added. “We support the President’s call to continuously ban the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait. Our primary concern should be the lives and safety of our workers. We should not wait for another OFW to die for us to act on this,” Villanueva said.

Senator Cynthia Villar, who also advocates the protection of OFWs and their rights, said it is only fitting to halt the deployment of Filipinos to “countries where they will only be abused.” In a radio interview Saturday, Villar said she “agrees” with the President in imploring Kuwaiti government to act on the deaths of Filipina domestic workers in the hands of their employers. She believes that there is no need to work abroad since “many opportunities await” Filipino workers in the Philippines.

In addition, some recruitment agencies also expressed support for the ban. In a press statement, the Philippine Association of Agencies for Kuwait (PHILAAK) said, “Although we are saddened by its possible impact, we agree with the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend indefinitely the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait and repatriate distressed OFWs” in the Gulf state.

The association confirmed it is now coordinating with OWWA regarding the ban. It is also in the process of formulating a set of policy and other recommendations so that the government will have additional options on how to “save” OFWs from slavery and human trafficking.

The association announced it is drawing up recommendations for a more effective delivery of services to OFWs, not just in Kuwait but the entire world. “We will present these recommendations to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III soon so we can give him our best advice for the welfare of OFWs,” says the PHILAAK statement signed by its president Anada Lalic-Areneta, and Chairperson Thelma Uanang. — news.mb.com.ph, news.abs-cbn. com, globalnation.inquirer.net and gmanetwork. com