The talks centered on continued cooperation to protect overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) throughout their employment in Kuwait. According to the DMW, the ambassador also expressed Kuwait’s appreciation for OFWs’ contributions. While the meeting did not result in a new agreement or policy, for the thousands of OFWs in Kuwait, it carried a familiar message: your rights and safety still matter to both governments.
Undersecretaries Bernard Olalia and Dominique Rubia-Tutay led the DMW panel, joined by Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi and Director Jerome Yason. The meeting was with Alnibari who was accompanied by First Secretary Ahmed Saadi Aldhafiri and Councilor Meshari Marmah Almutari.
Relations after a difficult stretch
The meeting follows a rough period between Manila and Kuwait. The strain traced back to the January 2023 killing of domestic worker Jullebee Ranara in Kuwait. The DMW then responded by halting the deployment of newly hired household service workers. In response, in May 2023, Kuwait also suspended issuance of new visas for Filipinos. A separate report said that a June 2024 meeting in Kuwait between Olalia and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahd Yousef Saud Al-Sabah led Kuwait to ease its restrictions on entry and work visas for Filipinos. On June 10, 2025, Alnibari presented his credentials to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacañang Palace.
The market has reopened since, with DMW reporting that 106,394 land-based OFWs left for Kuwait in 2025, making it the seventh-largest destination for Filipino workers that year. According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, the agreed protections between the two countries included:
- A blacklist and whitelist system for recruitment agencies and employers
- Electronic salary payments to prevent delayed wages
- Welfare officers assigned to monitor and assist OFWs throughout their employment
What’s Happening in Kuwait Right Now
The Manila meeting came as Kuwait continues to feel the effects of the wider US-Iran conflict, though no sources on the meeting link the two. Even so, an earlier advisory from the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait urged Filipinos to stay vigilant, follow Kuwaiti authorities, limit nonessential travel, keep their phones charged, and avoid sharing unverified information.
Airlines across the region have also had it hard with all the cancelled and delayed flights, usually at short notice, so make sure to confirm your flight with your airline before leaving for the airport, if you’re travelling.
Officials from Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry also urged the public to follow security instructions and rely on official channels for news. But for OFWs who need help, they can reach out to the Philippine embassy in Kuwait at:
- +965 9403 9063
- +965 6040 3858
- +965 6558 5355
For inquiries or any other concerns, especially those requiring police intervention, as well as for medical or other types of emergencies, you may also call 112.