Migrante Middle East called on the Marcos administration to take decisive action and investigate the gruesome death of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Dafnie Nacalaban in Kuwait. Kuwaiti authorities found the victim’s decomposed body in her employer’s backyard after nearly two months of absence.

Nacalaban’s sister said they were still in contact with Dafnie in May 2024 and said that Dafnie planned to return home in December 2024 to surprise her family.

Kuwaiti officials said the body was discovered after the suspect’s own sister reported Dafnie’s disappearance. The suspect, who has a criminal record, is now in Kuwaiti government custody.

The Nacalaban family is calling for the repatriation of Dafnie’s remains and justice for her death.

“This loss is deeply saddening, and it is imperative that the circumstances surrounding this incident be thoroughly examined to ensure justice is served,” Migrante Middle East stated. They urged the Kuwaiti and Philippine governments to act swiftly and decisively to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

The group stated, “The dignity and rights of every Filipino worker must be upheld, and justice must prevail.” While the government supposedly ensures protection for Filipino migrant workers, it should also “implement long-term strategies to create decent jobs within the country.”

The “labor export policy,” which sends Filipinos overseas for employment, began formal implementation in 1974 under the Marcos dictatorship, in the framework of the Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442). In the first nine months of 2024 alone, more than 7,500 workers left the country daily to seek employment abroad.