Stranded Filipino Workers In Philippines Appeal To Kuwait To Lift Ban And Allow Return To Resume Their Jobs

03 August 2020 Filipinos

According to the times Kuwait , Filipinos currently stranded in their country due to pandemic worsened by Kuwait’s decision to ban Filipino nationals from returning to resume jobs, appeal to Kuwait to lift the ban and be allowed to return to resume their jobs and rejoin their families.

In a series of messages sent to The Times by Filipino workers with valid and soon to expire visas expressed their dismay over the decision including Philippines in the list of countries currently banned from entering Kuwait. Filipino workers who have been lockdown in their country for the past four months have been hoping to return to Kuwait for different reasons. Zeny who works for an engineering firm said that she has two young children currently in the care of her husband in Kuwait and she had to return to Philippines for emergency reason but due to the lockdown implemented by Kuwait for four months now and with the recent implementation of ban for Filipinos caused alarm.

“My husband has to report to work daily and has to leave our two young children in care of a friend. It’s heartbreaking as a mother not to take care of her own children and be away from them during this difficult time. I was looking forward to join them during this month but it seems impossible, worst situation is my visa, which is already on an extension status will expire at the end of this month. I am appealing to Kuwait to allow us to return for humanitarian reason for the sake of our families and companies which expect us to return” lamented Zeny.

In similar situation, Lyn a service crew for a chain of casual dining restaurants has been lockdown in the Philippines since March and has been looking forward to return to Kuwait and resume her job. “I hope Kuwait considers lifting the ban and allow us to return. I am a single mother of a child with special need and the only one who earns and supports my family including my brothers and sisters who are all still young and my company expects my return. My special child needs medicines on regular basis and I have to earn and provide, looking at my child everyday worsens my depression as I am starting to feel incapable to provide” explained Lyn.

Sharon, a pizza maker for a popular brand in Kuwait, said that she has been out of job for nearly six months and hoping she can return to her work kitchen as she was told by her company that if she does return soonest time. “Our company resumed operations and I need to return, it has been very difficult here as I do not have a source of income.

Just like the rest of Filipinos stranded, we are appealing to Kuwait to consider our current situation and allow us to rejoin our companies and continue our work” added Sharon. Tasmeen stated that she has been in the Philippines since the start of Kuwait’s lockdown and her husband is in Kuwait and experiences a no work no pay status. “It’s a very difficult situation what we are going through.

We sent an email to the Philippine Embassy asking for assistance to intercede for us on behalf of all Filipino workers stranded in the Philippines but we never received any response. It’s frustrating that your own embassy could not provide if not assistance at least response to an email” complained Tasmeen.

Noor, a customer service staff of one of the malls in Kuwait, added that she needs to return as she has outstanding loan in a bank to settle and she does not want her guarantor to end up paying for the amount. “Some of us stranded here in the Philippines have financial obligations to settle and we do not want to suffer the fate of being backlisted in the Gulf region, we had back accounts to settle too such as personal loans, mobiles, rents and more and the only way we can do this is to be allowed to return and work” explained Ellie.

“There is a substantial number of Filipino workers currently stranded in the Philippines and we are appealing to Kuwait to consider the plea to lift if not take Philippines out of the list. Taking the PCR test is a must and we are fully aware of the importance of this precautionary measure to ensure that we are COVID free and tested negative prior to the flight, we also acknowledge the 14 days home quarantine to further protect ourselves and people around us and we are more than willing to comply” stated Mila.

The new directive issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation stated that nationals from the banned 31 countries should spend 14 days in other countries not included in list and comply with the PCR test. However, the directive caused an uproar among other nationals. “We are experiencing financial constraint and considerations should have been taken on behalf of those ordinary workers who are employed with below minimal salary scale.

Questions such as; application for visas to these countries and with small salaries and hardly zero in savings will they allow or approve visas? Where will we get the money to spend in that country for 14 days and then airline fare again to travel to Kuwait? Safety too is an issue here. If I come from a country free from COVID and staying in another unfamiliar environment exposes us to infections” explained Mila.

Filipino workers in the Philippines urges the Philippine government in particular the Department of Foreign affairs to look into their situation and represent their concerns with Kuwait.

“We have very limited time left as many of us with visa extensions given by Kuwait will expire at the end of the month and are appealing to Kuwait to allow us to return, update our visa status, comply with precautionary measures required and resume our work on behalf of our families who are hopeful of our financial support” ended Elmer, barista.

Although there are no existing statistics as to how many Filipino workers are stranded in the Philippines, in Kuwait there are at least 40,000 experienced no work no pay in past months and a certain number have not resumed their jobs and for those who have continued work, are still receiving a portion of salaries and not in full. There have been six chartered flights to the Philippines with about 2,300 Filipinos returning home for good and more flights currently ongoing and scheduled within the month.

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