By Hannah Torregoza Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday called on the Duterte administration to forge a labor agreement with Kuwait despite his decision to impose a total ban on the deployment of Filipino workers in that country. Drilon said that while he supports the ban, there are consequences that “we must be prepared to handle particularly in the area of trade.” Senator Frank Drilon (Senate of the Philippines Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) “The total ban is a remedy that, radical as it is, is necessary because of the abuses but the longer term objective should be to come up with a labor agreement between Kuwait and the Philippines to define strictly the status and the protection to our workers,” Drilon told reporters in an interview. “I support the ban but there are consequences that we must be prepared to handle particularly in the area of trade. I do not know what the trade relationship is—the details of the trade relationship between the two countries--but certainly from my experience before, this accepting countries would resort to all kinds of pressure on the Philippines,” the minority leader stressed. “We should be able to stand whatever pressure Kuwait will put on us in terms of trade relationship. I do not know to what extent the trade relationship is but i support the ban because really it is something that we must do,” he reiterated. But having said that, however, Drilon said it is imperative that the government really define the scope of the ban. “For example, I assume it covers only domestic helpers or does it cover all other skills because otherwise there could be confusion on what does it cover two, does it cover only future deployment or does it cover those who are presently there because they also have contracts?” he pointed out. “These are the areas which must be defined clearly otherwise there can be confusion in the implementation. Third, I would repeat, I urge that a labor agreement, if it has not been signed, but if it already exists, we must re-examine it because the labor agreement is supposed to protect our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), but apparently it is not effective,” he said. Migration, he said, would always be a reality the country has to face, thus the need for the government to work through international agencies through democratic channels in order to provide adequate protection to OFWs who would have to look elsewhere for work. He also said the government should pursue long-term programs by developing the country’s economy so there would be enough jobs in the Philippines. “This was the policy when the OFW practice started because of the lack of jobs here.Unfortunately, after so many years, still the same reason why our workers go abroad in a labor surplus economy, a migration of our workers is a reality,” he said.