The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has promised to stand firmly behind the family of a Filipina overseas worker in Kuwait who was sentenced to death over the tragic death of her employer’s child.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac shared that his biggest concern now is ensuring that the OFW’s two young children—both under 10 years old—are not left to suffer because of their mother’s fate.
“I met them here in my office. They really need support. The children should never be punished for what happened abroad,” Cacdac said.
He stressed that children are the very reason many Filipinos choose to work overseas, sacrificing time with their families in hopes of building a better future. “We will continually provide support and assistance so their future will not be affected,” he added.
To help secure that future, the DMW has committed to providing livelihood aid for the family and education assistance for the two minors, ensuring they can stay in school and finish their studies.
The case, however, remains grim. In December 2024, Kuwait’s Criminal Investigation Department arrested the Filipina domestic worker in Sabah Al-Salem after the death of her employer’s 18-month-old child. Reports say the toddler was found inside a washing machine, and despite the parents’ desperate attempt to save him, he was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Last week, Kuwait’s criminal court handed down the death sentence.
Cacdac said the DMW has already instructed its legal counsel in Kuwait to file an appeal, while also closely monitoring the worker’s condition in jail. At the same time, he offered condolences to the Kuwaiti family over their devastating loss.
He emphasized that while the department is exhausting all legal remedies, their duty extends to the families left behind in the Philippines.
“This case is very serious, but it should be seen as isolated,” Cacdac noted, reminding the public that more than 220,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait—most of them domestic helpers who continue to serve with dedication and integrity.
For the DMW, the message is clear: whatever the outcome of the case abroad, the children of OFWs should never lose their chance at a better life.
