26 August 2004 – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo conveyed the appreciation of the Philippine Government to the Government of Kuwaiti for facilitating the repatriation of 280 stranded OFWs housed at the Filipino Workers’ Resource Center (FWRC) at the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.   The 280 OFWs are scheduled to arrive at 11:00 p.m., Thursday, 26 August 2004, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, aboard a specially chartered Kuwait Airways flight KU 4411.

“I would like to commend the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait in facilitating the return home of our Filipino workers from Kuwait and for proactively pursuing the third pillar of Philippine foreign policy, which is providing assistance to Filipino nationals abroad.  This is indeed a triumph
for our Embassy people in Kuwait for not only would the 280 stranded OFWs be sent home for free by the Kuwaiti government, they were also cleared of all criminal complaints filed against them by their former employers,” Secretary Romulo said.

The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait made representations with the Kuwait Ministry of Interior, particularly the Foreign Domestic Workers Administration, for assistance in repatriating the OFWs housed in the Embassy FWRC.  The implementation of the project was subsequently approved by the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Council of Ministers, a body composed of cabinet-level ministers presided alternately by the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister.

“I would of course like to avail of this opportunity to express our sincerest appreciation to the Kuwaiti people and the Kuwaiti government, particularly the Amir, H.H. Amir Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Jabber Al Sabah and H.H. Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah who was generous enough to have this initiative,” the Secretary said, adding “I was even told the plane that will be bringing home our kababayans is the aircraft Kuwait Airways provides the Kuwaiti Prime Minister in his official trips abroad, this is indeed quite unprecedented.  I have written to my Kuwaiti counterpart formally expressing our sincere appreciation for this act of kindness.”

According to the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, this is the first time that the Kuwaiti government has provided a chartered flight on a plane usually used by their Prime Minister for the repatriation of such a large number Filipino workers at once.  In the past, the Kuwaiti government only gave free tickets for OFW repatriates with their numbers not exceeding 100 workers at a time.

In monetary terms, this one-time repatriation of 280 OFWs would save the Philippine government more than 7 million Pesos, in terms of airfare alone, according to the report of the Philippine Embassy.

“This magnanimous act is a demonstration of the abundant goodwill between the Filipino and Kuwaiti people,” Secretary Romulo said.  Since 2001, all airfare costs for repatriations of stranded Filipino workers housed at the Embassy FWRC and Tallhah Deportation Center in Kuwait have been shouldered by the Kuwaiti Government.

“The returning OFWs will be accompanied by Ambassador to Kuwait Bayani V. Mangibin, Embassy Assistance to Nationals Assistant Mr. Ali Nasser Solaiman, as well as Philippine labor representatives to Kuwait, Labor Attaché Mr. Leopoldo de Jesus and Mr. Musa Ibrahim,” Secretary Romulo said.  “The OFWs will be met at the airport on my behalf by DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Jose Brilliantes, who will be accompanied by other DFA Assistance to Nationals officers,” the Secretary added.  Representatives from the Labor Department, as well as Chargé d’Affaires of the Kuwaiti Embassy in Manila will be among the welcome party.

As a result of further efforts of Philippine Embassy officials and Labor Representatives, the Kuwait Trade Union Federation will examine issues facing expatriate labor.  The Committee on Labor headed by the Kuwaiti Undersecretary for Labor and Social Affairs will also be submitting in a few months to the Council of Ministers, proposed solutions to expatriate labor issues, including those faced by domestic workers.  In another development, beginning the last quarter of 2004, there will be a reserved number of seats in Kuwait Airways flights and those of other airlines to hasten the repatriation of stranded and runaway OFWs in Kuwait.  END.