News Release

PBBM to help kin of slain OFW Jullebee Ranara; says labor deal review with Kuwait underway


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday vowed to extend aid to the family of Jullebee Ranara, the 35-year-old household worker whose burnt body was found in a desert in Kuwait a week ago.

“I just wanted to offer my sympathies to the family and to assure them that all the assistance that they might need… for the family and for whatever else, ang pangako ko sa kanila. Kaya naman nagsakripisyo ang anak nila na magtrabaho sa abroad ay dahil may mga pangarap siya para sa kanyang pamilya,” the President said.

“Kaya’t sinabi ko dahil nawala na ‘yung anak ninyo kami na lang ang tutupad ng pangarap ninyo. Lahat ng assistance na puwede naming ibigay, ibibigay namin,” Marcos added.

The President, who visited the wake of Ranara in Las Piñas City on Monday afternoon, said the Philippine government is scheduling bilateral meetings with Kuwait to review the Bilateral Labor Agreement (BLA) to further protect overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) following the killing of Ranara allegedly by her employer’s son.

“We are also scheduling bilateral meetings with Kuwait to look at the agreement that we have to see if there are any weaknesses in the agreement that allowed this to happen and to make sure that those weaknesses are remedied so that the agreement is stronger and… will be more supportive of our workers,” the President pointed out.

The President was joined by Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople, Senator Mark Villar, Las Piñas City Representative Camille Villar, among others.

DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac earlier said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) would conduct an autopsy on Ranara’s remains.

Ranara’s remains arrived Friday night, witnessed by officials led by Ople.

Meanwhile, The 17-year-old suspect is under police custody. #