Kuwait will be the second Middle Eastern country after Bahrain to end the sponsorship system or locally called kafeel. Last 2009, Bahrain abolished the sponsorship system of its foreign workers which was likened to “modern-day slavery.”

As announced by the Kuwait government thru Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammed Al-Afasi, the scrapping of the sponsorship system for foreign workers in February 2011 will be Kuwait’s gift to foreign workers on the anniversary of Kuwait’s liberation.

The kafeel system requires Kuwaiti employers to sponsor foreign workers making them vulnerable to abuse. Foreign workers can only look for new jobs without prior approval from their sponsors after three years of service.

This is a good indication that Kuwait is serious towards respecting the rights of its expatriates including OFWs. It will give foreign workers more freedom and opportunity to look for better employment in Kuwait.

Overseas Filipino Workers welcome this new declaration of the Kuwait government and their recognition on the importance of foreign workers in their country.

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Of all the Filipinos, OFWs are said to be the ones extremely vulnerable to HIV. Based on statistics, OFWs account for 32% of all our HIV and full-blown AIDS cases.

This is the reason why TUCP or Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is pushing for much more heightened awareness especially for foreign-bound Filipino workers. OFWs are said to be extremely vulnerable to HIV because once exposed to foreign cultures, thy have the tendency to put their guard down through unsafe sex practices especially sailors.

Based on DOH’s National AIDS Registry, we have a total of 3,951 HIV cases (1,254 for OFWs) as of June 2009. 815 (264 for OFWs) cases have already developed into full-blown AIDS cases and 314 have already died.

And the increase in HIV cases in Philippines is at an alarming and troublesome rate. 362 people were newly-infected in the first semester of this year, with 85 cases in May and 40 cases in June.

What is HIV?

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus (a member of the retrovirus family) that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections.

The four major routes of transmission are unsafe sex, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth (Vertical transmission).

HIV infection has basically four stages: incubation period, acute infection, latency stage and AIDS. The initial incubation period upon infection is asymptomatic and usually lasts between two and four weeks. The second stage, acute infection, which lasts an average of 28 days and can include symptoms such as fever, lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes), pharyngitis (sore throat), rash, myalgia (muscle pain), malaise, and mouth and esophageal sores. The latency stage, which occurs third, shows few or no symptoms and can last anywhere from two weeks to twenty years and beyond. AIDS, the fourth and final stage of HIV infection shows as symptoms of various opportunistic infections.

What is AIDS?

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors.

The symptoms of AIDS are primarily the result of conditions that do not normally develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. Most of these conditions are infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that are normally controlled by the elements of the immune system that HIV damages.

Opportunistic infections are common in people with AIDS. HIV affects nearly every organ system.

The sad reality is there is currently no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS.

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There are at least 180 Filipinos languishing in various jails in China like in Guangzhou, Fujian, Shanghai, Urumqi and Tibet due to drug trafficking.

The sad part here is that some of them were made to be drug couriers without their knowledge. This is the reason why Philippine officials in China are seeking help from KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas) to warn China-bound Filipino workers to be careful when being asked for delivery assignments.

More Filipinos though involved in drug trafficking are aware of the delivery package after being promised of a huge amount of money upon delivery of illegal goods to various contacts inside China.

Since 2007, 180 Filipinos have been jailed because of possession of illegal drugs. Under China’s laws, anybody caught in possession of 50 grams or more of prohibited drugs would face death penalty.

We, Filipinos, should not in any way be involved in the illegal drug trade. Don’t take your chances as well because the possibility of being caught upon entry is very high since the Chinese government has strict rules and and regulations against illegal drugs.

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As an expatriate, we will be interested on what absconding is and what effect does it have on expatriates who have fled or run away from their employers or authorities.

To abscond means to depart in a sudden and secret manner especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution. Before, an absconding case or report could be cancelled if a runaway worker paid the penalty with the immigration department. After settlement, the worker can then transfer to another employer or apply for an exit visa in order to leave the country legally and still have the option to return.

This could still be the case in other countries. But OFWs are being warned by the Philippine government thru the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a new immigration rule blacklisting foreign workers that are reported by their employers to have run away. This new policy will make runaway workers more vulnerable to deportation. Once deported, they no longer have any chance of returning to Saudi Arabia to work.

On the other side of this, some foreign workers who want to leave KSA could run away from their employers so they could be sent home immediately. It has been said that the processing is faster and those picked up by the Immigration department for deportation could be sent home in about three days. And this is what’s being done by some OFWs. Aside from staying at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA shelter in Jeddah, some OFWs intently left the shelter and joined other foreign workers staying in an overpass in Khandara District hoping that Immigration officials would arrest and deport them.

Based on statistics, an estimated 20,000 undocumented Filipinos are working in Saudi Arabia.

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The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Kuwait reminds Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs that the registration as Absentee Voter for the National Elections of 2010 is still going on at the Embassy.

Filipino nationals not otherwise disqualified by law, at least 18 years old on the day of election, who wish to vote for President, Vice President, Senators and Party List Representatives must file application for registration as Overseas Absentee Voter, Sunday to Thursday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and every Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm until 31 August 2009. Please bring copy of your valid passport.

In order to avoid congestion during the last hours of registration, Filipino Nationals are encouraged to apply as early as now. Those who have applied before but failed to vote during the 2004 and 2007 Elections should reapply as their names were dropped from the National Registry of Overseas Absentee voters.

For further inquiries and details, please visit www.dfa.gov.ph and www.comelec.gov.ph.

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Good news for OFWs – the lifting of Lebanon deployment ban appears to be near and new jobs could be available again.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that the Philippines invited the Lebanese government to a second round of talks to further negotiate the proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Labor Cooperation. The MoA is aimed at protecting the rights and promote the welfare of Filipino workers in Lebanon. Included in their talk is the Protocol on Household Service Workers.

It can be recalled that the ban was imposed last June 18, 2007, after fighting between the Hezbollah and Israel broke out in Lebanon, prompting the repatriation of thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers.

Since the MoA is still on-going, Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Gilberto Asuque reminded Filipinos once again not to accept employment in Lebanon until the MoA has been signed. The DFA will also conduct seminars and dialogues intended to warn Filipinos against illegal recruitment for the Middle Eastern state.

Contrary to reports, Lebanese employers are interested in household service workers, chefs, and waitresses but no number was specified.

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