DAVAO CITY , Philippines — Only 563 of the 5,000 undocumented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Kuwait availed the amnesty program offered by the Kuwait government.
This means, more than 4,000 OFWs can now be subjected to arrest and round up after April 23.
Despite repeated calls, still, thousands of undocumented OFW refused to avail the amnesty, which means they can not be subjected to arrest and detention by the Kuwaiti authorities.
The Kuwaiti government offered an amnesty program, to all undocumented OFWs, while the Philippine government through the DFA, offered to repatriate them for free to avoid legal complications.
The amnesty program which ended on April 12, failed to convince all undocumented OFWs to go home.
The amnesty program, which was supposed to end on Feb. 22, was extended by the Kuwaiti government for two months and will expire on April 22.
But the Department of Foreign Affairs set the deadline on April 12, as it takes ten days to process all their clearances and documents.
DFA communications chief Elmer Cato said the embassy will continue to receive requests for repatriation but they cannot assure those who would register beyond April 12 to be repatriated on or before April 22.
Cato warned that an immediate crackdown will be carried out by Kuwaiti authorities against illegal OFWs in the Gulf state starting April 23.
“We would continue to receive request for repatriation,” he said. “We cannot assure all those who would come in at the last minute that we could bring them time on the 22nd. But we will try our very best to bring them home.”-ezc/Newsline.Ph
