THE Philippines has turned down the appeal of Kuwait for the government to lift its temporary suspension on the deployment of Filipino workers to the oil-rich state amid an ongoing investigation on the actual cause of the deaths of seven Filipino household helpers there.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3^rd said on Thursday that the request to lift the processing and issuance of overseas employment certificates (OEC) to Kuwait-bound Filipinos was relayed to him by Kuwait Ambassador to the Philippines Musaed Saleh AM Althwaikh during their meeting.