Prices of Hiring Filipino Maids Increased from KD 200 to KD 550 Per Maid

Partial Ban To Kuwait Affects Prices of Hiring Filipino Maids, Boosts Black Market Transactions

Following the incident involving a Filipina maid and her employer, the Philippines imposed a partial deployment ban on Kuwait. Because of that, there are certain rules and regulations which were changed.

In an advisory which was posted on social media by Labor Attaché to Kuwait Nasser Mustafa, is says:

“The ban applies only to visa 20 (domestic helpers) for both new hires and ‘balik mangagawa’ (returning OFWs). This includes the verification, accreditation and processing of individual contracts and additional job orders for visa 20. All overseas employment certificates issued to domestic workers by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on or before 5 pm of Jan 3, 2020 shall be valid for deployment.”

Kuwait delegation will be visiting the Philippines to discuss the ban as well as the set of rules that accompanies it. Meanwhile, Kuwait is exerting effort to normalize the situation through the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressing the public not to generalize the incident to all Kuwaitis.

The Federation of Offices is now having talks with the Philippines to find the best and the most urgent solution to the problem of partial deployment to think that there are already a lot of impending contracts signed by both countries and hundreds of transactions are being set on hold following the ban.

Additionally, because of the stricter deployment of Filipino domestic helpers, the prices paid when hiring Filipino maid has reached sky-high. From the previous KD200, the prices of hiring Filipino maids increased to KD 550, affecting even the prices of those maids from Africa, India, and Sri Lanka.

Even worst, the black market providing illegally shipped domestic helpers are rampant these days. It is said that maids from Asian countries other than from the Philippines can be obtained after paying as much as 1,250 dinars. These domestic helpers can be transferred directly to their employers without undergoing proper documentation and even medical examinations.

Partial Deployment Ban of Filipino Workers To Kuwait

The said deployment ban was implemented by the Philippine government following the incident involving a Filipina maid and her employer. It is said that the Filipina was ‘black and blue’ when she arrived in the hospital for medical but eventually lost her battle soon after. The bad treatment towards the Filipina indicates a clear violation of the previously signed memorandum of understanding which aims in securing the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers in Kuwait.

Furthermore, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III is looking to widen the ban and including those domestic helpers who are returning to Kuwait with new contracts. As for the Kuwaiti government, they asked for a postponement of the partial ban as the trial against the employer of Filipina JeanelynVillavende is currently going on. The Kuwaiti government made sure to give justice to the Filipina and investigate the case thoroughly.

“If the suspects are finally charged with the murder of Jeanelyn, we will consider lifting the partial ban on publication,” says Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

News of another Filipina domestic helper in Kuwait who met an unfortunate end shocked Filipinos knowing that there is an agreement signed by both countries ensuring the safety of every Filipino worker. Nonetheless, the Philippine government strongly condemned the incident and hoping for justice as soon as possible.

Source: Arab times