Malacanang clarified on Monday there is no permanent ban in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers in Kuwait.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippines and Kuwait will continue to work for a labor deal that will protect OFWs, particularly domestic workers, in the Gulf state.

"There's nothing permanent. For as long as there is no MOU (memorandum of udnerstanding), there's no lifting of the deployment ban. It's misleading if we say permanent...it's conditional to the signing of MOU," Roque said.

When Duterte arrived from Singapore, he said the deployment ban of Filipino workers to Kuwait would be permanent.

This was after Kuwait expelled Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa following the video of covert rescue operations of allegedly abused Filipino workers by some embassy staff came out.

Kuwait considered the operations as meddling in its sovereignty.

Duterte has ordered the deployment ban of OFWs to Kuwait shortly after the remains of a murdered Filipina domestic helper was found inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait last February. Celerina Monte/DMS