MANILA, March 25 -- A lawmaker on Monday encouraged Filipinos in Kuwait to avail of the Kuwaiti government's visa amnesty program, which allows people with expired visas to rectify their status by settling fines or leave the country without paying penalties.

House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs chairperson Ron Salo said the amnesty program, which runs from March 17, 2024, to June 17, 2024, provides a "lifeline" for those in violation of residency laws to either regularize their residency status or safely return to their home countries and avoid harsher penalties.

"This amnesty initiative by the Kuwait Ministry of Interior is a commendable step towards resolving the issues faced by our 'kababayan' whose visas have already expired,...