Philippine officials are headed to Kuwait today.
Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello told reporters yesterday one of his deputies would lead the delegation, which is also due to stop in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Topping the list are demands that Filipino workers be allowed to keep their cellphones and passports, which can be confiscated by employers.
The trip comes after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte last week announced a departure ban for Filipinos planning to work in that country.
He was responding to the murder of a Filipina maid whose body was found stuffed in a freezer this month.
Kuwait has invited Duterte for a visit but he has yet to respond.
“We are going to Kuwait tomorrow, Saudi Arabia and then on to Qatar to ensure that our overseas Filipino workers have sufficient protection,” said Labour Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad, who will helm the delegation. “We are afraid that because of the decision of the president to have a deployment ban, our overseas Filipino workers in Kuwait might be affected,” he added.
Lagunzad said Duterte had ordered the team to ensure that the passports of Filipino workers are deposited with the Philippine embassy.
Duterte also wanted Filipinos to have access to cellphones so they can call for help in case of abuse, Lagunzad said.
About 10mn Filipinos work abroad and their treatment abroad is often a political issue at home.
Another team of labour officials said yesterday they would conduct negotiations with Kuwait next week on a deal to protect Filipino workers.
“Hopefully we can finalise the memorandum of agreement and by first or second week of March, we will have the signing by the Kuwaiti and Philippine governments,” said Claro Arellano, another labour 
undersecretary.
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