Reyza Ferranco


The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is currently investigating cases of labor abuse faced by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Kuwait following the death of Jullebee Ranara, a Filipina domestic worker whose body was found burned in a desert.

Photo Courtesy by ABS-CBN News/DMW

According to DMW Undersecretary Hans Cacdac, among the 268,000 Filipinos working in Kuwait, more than 400 have encountered labor problems and sought shelter at the emergency center run by the Philippine Embassy, while half resorted to flying back to Manila. 

To further ensure the safety of the workers, the department will revisit its bilateral labor agreement with Kuwait. Cacdac added that they will also examine the existing recruitment system and standards to strengthen the protection of OFWs, as well as deploy a fact-finding team to the emirate country to probe the welfare cases of Filipino workers.

Moreover, Philippine authorities are seeking to file a recruitment violation case against the recruiters of Ranara after their lapses in monitoring the status of the worker.

DMW Secretary Susana “Toots” Ople vowed justice for Ranara, stating that the Philippine government would do anything to ensure her justice. 

“Secretary Ople and the entire department condemn this heinous crime and urge the Kuwaiti government to work on the early resolution of the case and its perpetrators brought to justice,” the DMW said in a statement.

The suspect in Ranara’s death was her employer’s 17-year-old son, who is now under Kuwaiti police custody on murder charges.