President Rodrigo Duterte. Palace file photo
CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga—President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed on Thursday dozens of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who arrived from the Middle East at the Clark International Airport here.
Duterte received and thanked 39 OFWs from Qatar for helping the country’s economy grow through their remittances, saying it was the government’s debt of gratitude to them.
“Welcome home,” Duterte told the cheering balikbayans.
“Tumulong din kayo sa bayan ninyo (You’ve helped your country), in remitting your incomes to help your families. Utang na loob ng gobyerno ‘yan (The government owes it to you),” he added.
“Utang na loob ng bayang Pilipino (The Filipino people owe it to you), I represent the Filipino nation in thanking you for your sacrifice and for helping us keeping the growth of the gross domestic product, malaking share yan (it is a huge share),” he pointed out.
The event, which was also graced by Labor Secretary Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Hans Cacdac, was part of OWWA’s Pamaskong Salubong para sa OFW program.
The OFWs received cash gifts, appliances, and special gifts from the OWWA. /jpv
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