MANAMA, Bahrain — Kinumpirma ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang pagbubuo ng government agency na tutugon sa mga pangangailangan ng Filipino migrant workers.
Ipinahayag ito ni Duterte sa kanyang pakikipagpulong sa Filipino community rito nitong Biyernes ng gabi (Sabado ng madaling araw sa Pilipinas).
“By the way, the overseas (Filipino workers) in a few months, you will have a department of OFW only,” pahayag ng Pangulo sa kanyang talumpati na pinalakpakan ng libu-libong Pilipino na dumalo sa pulong na idinaos sa Khalifa Sports Stadium.
Ayon kay Duterte, sa pamamagitan ng bagong departamento, ang processing time para sa deployment ng OFWs ay mababawasan ng anim na linggo hanggang tatlong linggo.
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“You can go online if you want to look for an employment overseas,” aniya. “You just check the list available, choose then you apply online. You have to go through fake employment agencies, you can go direct. And then they (the department) will take care of the rest for your convenience.”
Sinabi rin ng Pangulo na nag-alok na ng tulong ang Bahrain at mas padadaliin na para sa mga Pinoy na makapagtrabaho roon.
“ I think the spirit or the heart of Bahrain is with you,” sabi ng Pangulo. “What I want you to avoid are those fly-by-night employment agencies who ask for exorbitant fees.”
Ayon pa sa Pangulo, ang mga OFW na uuwi sa bansa para magbakasyon, partikular tuwing Pasko, ay hindi na kakailanganin pang inspeksiyunin ng airport authorities.
“You are not just heroes,” sambit ni Duterte. “Our gross national product, a good part of it, actually your remittances...is keeping our economy alive. A good part of the money of our economy comes from you.”
Bukod diyan, sinabi rin ni Duterte na hindi na maaaring ipakulong ng Immigration officials ang mga OFW.
“I already restricted that,” sabi ng Pangulo. “If they persist in opening your baggage you tell them: ‘No, do not open my baggage. Just make sure that you will find something illegal in my belongings or I will slap your face.’ You create a scene, because I will know about the incident. Once I do, let us just see what will happen.” (ROY C. MABASA)
