Meeting with the Filipino Community in Jordan 9/7/2018

Royal Cultural Palace, Amman
September 7, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte met with over 1,500 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Royal Cultural Palace in Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (HKJ).

In his message, the President recognized the valuable sacrifices of the OFWs to seek greener pasture abroad that often times result in dysfunctional families and illegal drug abuse.

“You know guys, if a family loses a father because the father has to go out of the country to work, that family is dysfunctional. Maglaki ng walang tatay. Or walang nanay, there is no… Ganun rin. Dysfunctional. Iyong iba naman sa kahirapan, mapilitan, iiwan sa mga kapatid, iiwan lang sa mga kapitbahay. Tapos magtrabaho dito, magtrabaho kung saan. Pag-uwi nila, nakita nila ang anak nila, basag na. Nabuang na,” he said.

On other issues, the President denied allegations of his terminal sickness, calling the discoloration on his face as nothing more but trivial as to sun exposure. On the other hand, he confirmed the growing inflation rate in the Philippines as the result of American President Donald Trump’s imposition escalating tariff rates on foreign goods importation.

In closing, the President assured the OFWs that he would find a solution to address undocumented Filipinos in Jordan to be given repatriation.

As of December 2017, the Philippine Embassy in Amman reported that around 42,000 OFWs, majority of whom are employed as household service workers, have entered the Kingdom. There has also been a significant growth of OFWs in the hotel and restaurant industry, as well as Filipino nurses in Jordan.

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