POLO-OWWA facilitates repatriation of 63 domestic workers in Kuwait
A total of 63 workers housed at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-OWWA shelter will be repatriated in three batches as follows:
7 DWs via Gulf Air 154 Oct. 25, 2018 ETA-11:30AM -October 26
40 DWs via QR 932 Oct. 25, 2018 ETA- 4:30 PM-October 26
16DWs via QR 932 Oct. 26, 2018 ETA – 4:30 PM- October 27
The plane tickets were shouldered by their foreign recruitment agencies, employers and the OWWA. From August 1 to October 26, 2018, the POLO-OWWA was able to repatriate 472 wards at the center. Likewise, the workers shall be provided with livelihood assistance Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay, other skills-based training under the Skills-for-Employment Scholarship program and counseling upon return to their respective provinces.
Among the problems encountered by these workers were non-payment of salaries, mistreatment/maltreatment, health and medical problems, sexual harassment and sexual abuse.
The speedy repatriation of wards at the center was made possible through improved diplomatic relationship between the Philippines and the State of Kuwait which early on hosted the 1st Technical Committee Meeting on the signed Memorandum of Agreement for the employment of domestic workers last October 7, 2018.
