President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday pledged to improve the working conditions in the Philippines as he extended his gratitude to the overseas Filipinos working in Cambodia who are thriving on greener pastures.
Mr. Marcos made this remark in his meeting with the Filipino community in Phnom Penh, where he vowed to address the lack of opportunities in the Philippines so Filipinos would no longer venture abroad to seek a better life.
Meanwhile, in an interview in Phnom Penh, the President said he enjoyed the taste of Cambodian food, adding that he is “an enthusiastic experimenter” when it comes to food.
He said dishes served during the Gala Night of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summits on Saturday were similar to Filipino food.
“I liked it all. And then in the lunches, they gave us some of the local dishes. So yes,” Mr. Marcos said.
The President mentioned food akin to Filipino dishes like “okoy” (shrimp patties), rice cakes, and curry with peanuts, like the local “kare-kare.” Meanwhile, he said of the Pinoy community in Cambodia: “My dream is for a Filipino not to leave the country because they can’t find any jobs here. If they leave the country for work, I hope it is not compulsory. This is because there would be a position far greater that they can achieve abroad, but if they opt to stay here there would be jobs for every Filipino.”
The President also lauded overseas Filipinos for their sacrifices and for upholding professionalism and the core values of Filipinos wherever they go.
“Every place where Filipinos go, even here in Phnom Penh, in Cambodia, [they are] always being commended by the locals… because they are helpful, hardworking and honest. All those characteristics were the ones who were wanted by our friends,” Mr. Marcos said.
“Filipinos are the best people in the entire world,” he added as he capped his four-day trip at the ASEAN Summits.
Filipinos in Cambodia work as teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators, engineers, accountants, managers, medical workers, supervisors, skilled workers, and company executives.
According to the Philippine consulate in Cambodia, there are more than 5,000 Filipinos living and working in Cambodia, most of them are English teachers and supervisors in clothing and apparel factories and casinos.