THE United Arab Emirates plans to invest more money in the Philippines, particularly in the energy and infrastructure sectors, Vice President Jejomar Binay said after his meeting with Sheik Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
Binay, who is in UAE, said he discussed a number of issues with the prince including the welfare of the thousands of Filipino workers in his country.
“Sheik Mohammad said he would very much like to visit the Philippines,” Binay said.
“We also talked about potential investment opportunities in the areas of power and infrastructure in the Philippines,” he said.
The UAE is host to 900,000 Filipino workers, according to the 2013 Commission of Filipino Overseas Compendium of Statistics.
Binay also met UAE Labor Minister Shaqr Ghobash and they discussed the UAE’s new labor decrees.
“Ministerial Decrees 764, 765 and 766, which were unveiled last year, will pave the way for improved labor relations between the Philippines and UAE,” the UAE’s labor ministry said.
The decrees, Ghobash said, will secure more stable practices to protect the Filipino workers who are legally sponsored to enter the UAE.
Binay said that during his previous stint as Presidential Adviser for OFW Concerns, he strove to repay the contributions of migrant workers through programs that would best serve their needs. Vito Barcelo
“Every year, thousands of [migrant Filipino workers] were extended assistance under my office,” Binay said.
Philippine Consul-General Paul Raymund Cortes said Binay’s visit was not political.
“He is visiting in his capacity as vice president. He’s not here to campaign. He’s here to talk to Filipinos,” Cortes said.