NextGen Day

In the absence of a resolution to the standoff over entry and labor concerns with Kuwait, the Philippines is looking at alternative labor markets, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Tuesday.

Eduardo Jose De Vega, the undersecretary of DFA, expressed optimism that the two parties may resolve their “misunderstandings” shortly but remained steadfast in Manila’s stance that no infractions were committed in its attempt to defend its nationals in Kuwait.

He reiterated that Manila views Kuwait as a “friend” and that the administration would not respond to Kuwait’s decision to halt the issue of visas to Filipinos by imposing yet another deployment embargo.

“We are friends, and although we are currently at odds, we won’t impose a long-term ban. But we’re telling the Filipinos that the Kuwait market is currently closed, so let’s go elsewhere. However, ideally, things will be back to normal by the end of the year, and the deployment will continue, he added in a Laging Handa briefing.

The announcement coincided with the Department of Migrant Workers’ revelation that Saudi Arabia plans to acquire 1 million qualified workers from the Philippines over the next two years as part of a potential “special hiring program” to meet the labor demands of the Arab country.

De Vega hopes that by July 2023, Kuwait and Manila would have another round of bilateral talks.

He declared that the government would not apologize or bring legal action against Philippine Embassy employees, two of the “main demands” made by the Kuwaiti government after forbidding Filipino tourists from entering the nation for the first time.

“Our position is that we have no violations, and if there are, we hope they will listen to us when we explain that embassies also have an obligation under international law to protect their nationals,” he said. “If there are violations, we ask that they take note that the function of the embassies to protect the nationals of their countries is also a function or obligation of the international law.”

Around 290,000 Filipinos reside and work in Kuwait, most of whom are domestic helpers.

Not an act of hatred

De Vega clarified in the same interview that the labor dispute between Manila and the Arab country had nothing to do with the hit-and-run event that injured 15 Filipino cyclists in Kuwait last Friday.

He continued, noting instances in the past where non-Filipino bikers were also engaged in traffic accidents, that there was no evidence that it was a hate crime targeting Filipino citizens.

According to our embassy’s comment, Kuwait has been experiencing problems with accidents involving cyclists because neither bike lanes nor clear rules have been established for them. He continued, “(Ang) comment ng ating Embahada matagal nang nagkakaproblema sa Kuwait tungkol sa accident involving cyclists.”

Iyon ang problem ata, may mga aggressive drivers na nagagalit usually, gusto nila sakupin iyong kanilang kalsada; may speculation na baka pagod at lasing iyong driver; so malalaman natin eventually (That is the problem, there are aggressive drivers; there is also some speculation that the driver might be tired or drunk, we will know eventually).

At least 11 of the 15 people, including two who are still being treated for head trauma and back injuries, were hospitalized, according to De Vega.

According to him, the driver has turned himself in, and the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait is awaiting the findings of the most recent investigation.

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