Philippines working with other countries for OFW safety —Marcos ---By JOAHNA LEI CASILAO, GMA Integrated News

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Philippine government is engaging with the international community to create a safe working environment for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). “We are engaging with our partners in the international community to ensure a safe working environment for our country,” Marcos said in his second State of the Nation Address. He said the government is also putting in place responsive mechanisms for the repatriation and reintegration of returning OFWs. According to Marcos, the deployment of OFWs increased by 62% in 2022. He said OFWs also contributed $32.5 billion or roughly P1.8 trillion to the country’s economy in the same year. “It is our wish that one day, foreign employment will be driven by choice, not by necessity. It remains a noble calling that our OFWs have answered, requiring great sacrifice from them, their families, and their communities,” the president said. Meanwhile, he said several countries have expressed interest in exploring bilateral labor cooperation with the Philippines in the areas of healthcare, tourism, hospitality, engineering, construction, and information technology. “Recently, we signed agreements with Singapore, Austria, and the province of Alberta in Canada,” Marcos said. “Our priorities [are] to ensure that the principles of ethical recruitment, fair employment, and the safe and orderly migration of our people are embodied with our agreements with other countries,” he added. According to the president, the employment of around 50,000 OFWs and the deployment of other Filipino seafarers aboard EU vessels have also been assured. “The lesson for us is that our education and skills training must always be attuned to the high, exacting, and constantly evolving global standards. Sa pagsusumikap ng mga mamamayan, walang hindi kakayanin,” Marcos said. Saudi Arabia In his speech, Marcos also reiterated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a commitment to pay the unpaid claims of 14,000 overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia. The president first shared the “good news” in November 2022. “The unpaid salaries and other related claims of some 14,000 OFWs who have been put out of work in Saudi Arabia during the pandemic are now being processed.,” Marcos said. “The crown prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia himself personally committed to me that the unpaid claims of Filipino workers would now be paid,” he added. Last week, the Department of Migrant Workers said there is no definite date yet when the government of Saudi Arabia will deliver on its commitment. Meanwhile, Marcos said that around 70,000 OFWs have been deployed to Saudi as of July 2023 after the deployment issue in the country has been resolved.—LDF, GMA Integrated News

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