DFA assures Pinoys in US of 'timely, effective' gov't assistance

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), seeking to clarify President Rodrigo Duterte's statement over the weekend, on Thursday said the government is ready to help Filipinos who are having legal troubles in the United States.
"Most of our kababayan in the US have no encounters with the law. But for those who regrettable do, the Philippine Embassy and the six Philippine Consulates in the US are always able and ready to provide guidance and assistance to ensure that the rights of our kababayan under US law are protected and the appropriate services are extended to them," the DFA said in a statement.

"Recognizing their contribution and support to the country’s development, the Philippine Government will always be on hand to provide timely and effective assistance to Filipino citizens where they may be in the world," it added.
The DFA issued the statement after Duterte, in a press conference Sunday night, said he will not lift a finger to help undocumented Filipinos who will be affected by US President Donald Trump’s tough immigration policies.
According to the DFA, Duterte's statement "has to be put in its proper context."
"As guests of the US, Filipino citizens there have a responsibility to make sure that they follow all laws and regulations of that country," it said. "It is the same expectation that we have for our American and other foreign guests here in the Philippines."
Trump ran and won on a campaign promising to rid the US of illegal immigrants. This past weekend, he ordered a ban on the entry of all people from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
However, a US federal court has halted implementation of the order. —Trisha Macas/KBK, GMA News

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