The ongoing dispute between the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) and the Philippines Embassy in Kuwait was notched a step higher with the issuance of a new circular by PAM last week.

The circular instructs PAM staff not to renew licenses for domestic worker recruitment, if the recruitment office owners fail to produce a copy of the agreements they may have signed with offices in the countries of recruitment. The circular insists that the agreements should be attested at Kuwaiti embassies and accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to PAM spokesperson and Director of Public Relations and Media, Aseel Al-Mezyad, the circular was based on article 42 of law No. 68/2015. She urged the concerned persons to abide by the instruction and ensure they renew licenses accordingly for the recruitment of domestic workers before expiry.

Tensions between the two parties came to the fore when the embassy insisted on enforcing labor contracts approved by authorities in Manila, while PAM contended that the only accredited contracts approved by PAM are those issued by the authority and refusing to accept or consider any attached foreign contracts.

Authorities in PAM say that terms that the embassy is now insisting were not included in the agreement signed by the two countries. They point out that the agreement between Kuwait and the Philippines clearly states that the entry and exit of Filipino domestic workers should be according to the provisions of the agreement and the relevant laws in both countries.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources have pointed out that the Philippines contract concerning domestic laborers has been enforced in other countries since many years ago. They said negotiations between the two countries are ongoing, and that the details of the contract will be discussed in the last week of November.

 

 

 

 

 

 


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