President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday praised Filipino workers in Europe for their dedication, generosity, and kindness, all of which contribute to the positive reputation that their compatriots enjoy abroad.
His administration is also looking at adding more labor attaches to protect the rights of Filipino migrant workers, a Cabinet member traveling with the President said.
In a meeting with the Filipino community in Belgium, Mr. Marcos vowed to strengthen the country’s economic institutions and create more jobs, so Filipinos do not have to leave their families behind for greener pastures abroad.
“The Filipino community organizations here in Europe continue to maintain deep and growing friendships with people of different nations. Filipinos in this part of the world will continue to be highly regarded because of your jolly and high-spirited manner, hard work, your dedication,” the President said.
“You are being admired here by the locals, all your co-workers, friends, they always commend the Filipinos,” he added.
Mr. Marcos said his administration is on track to create more quality jobs by investing heavily in human capital development, infrastructure, and the digital economy.
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople said her newly created department would be in a better position to help migrant workers next year.
“Next year we’ll have a budget. We can now assist all of you further. It will also help us in the office of the labor attaché. So, we’ll study here in Europe where we can add [attaches],” she said.
Ople said the government has also laid out initiatives to help overseas Filipinos looking to go back to the country for good.
Those who want to pursue their own businesses would get help from various departments, including the Department of Trade and Industry, she said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will provide opportunities for returning OFWs who want to venture into agriculture and agribusiness enterprises.
In addition, the Department of Information of Communications Technology (DICT) will also support the upskilling of Filipino workers to stay competitive in the workforce.
The DMW was established in December 2021 and will have its 2023 budget approved once President Marcos signs the General Appropriations Act of 2023 into law.
The signing of the GAA greenlights the full constitution of the new department, which would lead to the transformation of the present Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) into Migrant Workers’ Offices (MWOs).