PH gov’t to use ‘every opportunity to uphold, protect’ OFWs’ rights

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte assured the public that the government will seize all opportunities to uphold and protect the rights of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“Rest assured that your government will take every opportunity [and] use every available venue to uphold and protect the rights of our countrymen working abroad,” Duterte said on Thursday, April 26.

Duterte made the statement prior his departure to Singapore for the 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

“What would interest me really there is articulate the plight of migrant workers. We are among the (countries) with many (workers in foreign lands),” the president remarked.

He added that the Philippines will “promote the further implementation [and operationalization] of outcome documents, particularly the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers and the ASEAN Declaration [on] the Role of the Civil Service as Catalyst to Realize Asean Vision 2025.”

Duterte said he will also meet with the OFWs in Singapore to check on their situations during his stay there.

“Upon my return, as usual, I shall report what we have achieved as we continue to stay true to our mandate of serving the best interests of our nation and people,” the president added.

As for his meeting with fellow ASEAN leaders during the summit, Duterte said he would discuss “regional and global threats on peace, security, especially terrorism in our area.”

In addition, ASEAN nations are also expected to enhance regional interconnectivity and “address traditional and emerging threats” with the technology and innovation.

The summit, Duterte noted, would  become a venue for ASEAN leaders to “continue working closely to further strengthen community-building and advance greater peace, security and stability in the region.”

Duterte then reiterated that the Philippines “remains committed to engage our partners to achieve the change that we want and need.”

“We will continue to work towards the realization of ASEAN Vision 2025 by identifying and prioritizing initiatives that will move forward [action] lines in the ASEAN’s political-security, economic, and socio-cultural communities,” he added.