By Katrina Gracia Consebido
In a meeting with the Filipino community in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. commended all overseas Filipinos in Europe for their dedication and kindness.
Marcos expressed commitment to strengthen the country’s economy to create more jobs to prevent Filipinos from leaving their families to seek better opportunities overseas.
“The Filipino community organizations here in Europe continue to maintain deep and growing friendships with people of different nations,” he said.
He noted that Filipinos in Europe will keep on being acknowledged for their “jolly and high-spirited manner, hard work, and dedication.”
“Kinahahangaan kayo ng mga locals, lahat ng mga katrabaho ninyo, lahat ng mga nakilala ninyo, sinasabi na ang galing talaga ng mga Pilipino,” he said.
Marcos said his administration is investing extensively in human capital, infrastructure, and the digital economy to create more quality jobs.
“Kaya’t sana naman dumating ang panahon, at ito ang ating pangarap na wala nang kailangan umalis ng Pilipinas dahil walang mahanap na trabaho sa Pilipinas. Aabutin din natin ‘yan,” he said.
Marcos’ meeting with the Filipino community is part of his three-day Brussels trip  for his participation at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union (ASEAN-EU) commemorative summit.
He said the summit is a chance for the country to accelerate ties with Europe and promote progressive cooperation.
He is also set to meet with Belgium’s King Philippe to discuss boosting Manila-Brussels collaboration, as well as with other leaders from Belgium, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Finland, the Netherlands, and the EU. –agÂ
