Duterte orders faster airport transactions for OFWs


President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he wants faster airport transactions for Overseas Filipino Workers whose welfare, he claimed, is one of his administration's top priority.
"No more human contact. You just swipe your... two minutes, i-swipe mo lang 'yung visa mo , you're out. Wala nang tanong-tanong, no more human contact and that will be true and I'm ordering it now. You have to make it faster," Duterte said during his speech at the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the  2018 Model OFW Family of the Year Awards ceremony in Malacañang.
Last week, the Bureau of Immigration announced that 18 electronic gates are now open in three international airports in the country, exempting the Philippine passport holders from queuing at immigration counters.
Duterte also reminded those present at the Malacañang event how he stopped the "tanim bala" scheme at airports.
"I made my stand very clear that I won't allow... ihinto nila 'yang kalokohan nila, kabastusan nila na bala, tanim bala. Sabi ko, kung gusto ninyo sa inyo na 'yan but kakainin ninyo 'pag nag-umabot tayo. Since then ay wala na akong narinig. P***** i** ninyo, patayin ko talaga mga leche kayo," he said.
"I don't allow rampant corruption, I don't allow the opening of bags in the airport, lalo na 'yung mahihirap... ako naman kasi'y isang anak lang din ng mahirap," he added.
Also, Duterte pointed out that the government should go beyond the cliche "OFWs are the bagong bayani" and actually do something for their welfare.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that OFWs boost the country's economy by sending P1.3 trillion every year. —Dona Magsino/LBG, GMA News

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