MANILA, July 24 — Recognizing the significant contribution of Filipino overseas workers (OFWs) to the country’s economy, President Rodrigo Duterte in his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday said he will raise the government’s budget for OFWs assistance to PHP1 billion.
“To ensure that their rights are protected, I order the increase of our assistance to the OFWs from PHP400 million to more than PHP1 billion,” said the President in his report to the nation held at the session hall of Batasan complex in Quezon City before members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
At the same time, he cited Filipinos working abroad as “heroes.”
“They are our heroes. They and their families have sacrificed much for the country. We all know how much of the economy comes from their remittances,” Duterte said.
The President added, “We have been hard at work in securing the rights of our OFWs.”
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that remittances of Filipinos working overseas were up by 4.5 percent or some USD 11.3 billion from January to May this year. (Ferdinand G. Patinio/PNA)