President Duterte Meets with Pinoys in Riyadh; Promise to put up a Consulate in Eastern Saudi
RIYADH – AFCSCOM officers and members were among the hundreds of Overseas Filipinos who attended the Filipino Community meeting with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Marriott Hotel on April 12.
President Duterte was on a three-day visit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to meet King Salman, Saudi leaders for trade and investment and support for Filipinos working in the Kingdom. He was accompanied by officials from various departments on his first leg of Gulf tour. The President was elated for the warm reception accorded to him by the Filipino Community here. Likewise, the Overseas Filipinos were very happy to see him in person and to listen to all the programs he has in store for them.
“We thanked our President for visiting us. It’s a morale booster for all of us. AFCSCOM officers and members travelled four and a half hours from Al-Khobar just to see him in person and to listen to his programs for us OFWs”, AFCSCOM President Engr. Lamberto Pablo said. In his speech, Duterte told the Overseas Filipinos that King Salman invited him to visit Riyadh. He said he prioritized the invitation because he wanted to meet his Kababayans here. “It is of our national interest that I visit first the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nandito ang karamihan ng ating mga kababayan. You are not just a citizen of our country, you are the assets”, Duterte stressed.
He praised the Filipinos for their contribution to the Philippine economy through their remittances. He also narrated his programs for the benefit of Overseas Filipinos worldwide like the Department of OFW, OFW Bank, One stop service center and helping the distressed Filipinos to go home. During the open forum, AFCSCOM immediate past president, Gamaliel Gonzales had the chance to request the president to put up a consulate in Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. Upon consulting with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Duterte replied “bigyan niyo po ako ng tatlong buwan and you will have it.” “Sobrang tuwa ko sa reply ni Tatay Digong. Abangan po natin dahil kampante ako na mangyayari ito sa kanyang termino. llang presidente na po ang dumaan pero walang nangyari sa mga request ng FilCom sa Eastern Saudi, Gonzales said.
The consulate is needed by roughly 300,000 Overseas Filipinos for their consular needs like renewal of passports and others. Also, help will be given right away to distressed Filipinos and to those who have labor problems if the Consulate is available. Duterte’s promise to put up a Consulate within three months received a thunderous applause from the Eastern Region delegates. “Ako’y naniniwala at umaasa na sa loob ng tatlong buwan ay maisasakatuparan ang pangako ng ating pangulong Duterte na magkaroon ng konsulado ang Eastern Province sa Al-Khobar”, K-Fitness Club Al-Khobar President Bong Buella said.
After Riyadh, Pres. Duterte flew to Bahrain and Qatar to meet Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the Filipino Community there.
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