At least 19 undocumented Filipino children in Kuwait were repatriated to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
Most of the undocumented children were born out of wedlock while others had no residence visa as the residence visa of their parents expired, the DFA said.
Some of them were left behind by their mothers who had been repatriated earlier to the Philippines.
The repatriation was a joint cooperation between the Kuwait government and Philippine Embassy in Kuwait aims to curb the rising number of undocumented kids.
“The repatriation of undocumented kids continues and once again, we would like to thank the Ministry of Interior, the Kuwait Immigration Department for helping the embassy in repatriating the kids so they can finally start their life in the Philippines,” stated Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa.
The 19 repatriates together with their parents or guardians did not have to pass through the ‘Talha’ or deportation center but headed directly to the airport where they were accompanied by the embassy’s Assistance to Nationals Unit team led by Philippine Social Welfare Attaché Nilda Oliva, Case Officer Salahodin Tomas Magayan and Kuwait Immigration officials who assisted them at the airport check-in counter.