MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday called on host countries to treat Filipinos well, following the remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte on the possibility of banning the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait.

• Duterte says may ban sending Filipinos to work in Kuwait due to abuses

"Basically, ang instruction niya sa akin, make it clear to the world Filipinos are happy to work for you, happy to serve you, happy to be in your country. We will endeavor…but treat us humanely, humanely means as human beings," Cayetano said.

"We are not property. We are not inanimate things. We are not machines that pagka-sinuwelduhan niyo, pwede na lang ganunin. But we don't want to generalize," he added.

Cayetano said the President has asked for the study of the ban's possibility. DFA officials will meet with the Kuwaiti ambassador to raise the country's concerns.

"I'm expecting a good response from the ambassador but of course we have to see the response translate into action, meaning protection of our OFWs," Cayetano said.

• READ: Duterte wants talks with Kuwait over OFW deaths

There are more than 250,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, based on the DFA's estimate, most of them working as domestic helpers. There are also large numbers of Filipinos working in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

More than 2.3 million Filipinos are documented as working abroad, from among some 8 million who live overseas.

However, Estrelita Hizon, a leader of a coalition of recruitment agencies and private sector representative to the POEA governing board, is not keen on the ban.

Hizon said it will not stop workers from entering Kuwait illegally. She said the recruitment industry is willing to work with the government for the best solution. She added that the industry has programs to address needs of distressed OFWs.

"Ang worst case scenario niyan, lalo lang dadami, hindi natin mapipigil ang pag-alis. For as long as there are hungry stomachs, there are mouths to feed, may anak na pinag-aaral kahit sa anong paraan, aalis talaga yan. This is tantamount to rewarding the illegals and punishing the legal," said Hizon.