DFA pays tribute to overseas Filipinos

November 30, 2017

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Thursday began commemorating the month of overseas Filipinos by paying tribute to the more than 10 million Filipinos overseas for the important role they are playing and the sacrifices they are enduring.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the DFA will continue to pursue President Rodrigo Duterte’s directives to prioritize the concerns of overseas Filipinos by looking after their welfare and comfort and improving its accessibility and services.

“We would like to express our gratitude to our kababayans all over the world, whose tireless toil and sacrifice have helped improved the lives of many of our people back home,” Secretary Cayetano said in a statement from Hong Kong where he will be joining members of the Filipino Community in commemorating the month of overseas Filipinos.

“We cannot thank them enough for the important role they play in transforming the Philippines into one of the fastest growing economies in the world,” he added.

Cayetano said the Philippine economy surpassed expectations and even posted a 6.9 percent growth in the third quarter because of contributions from overseas Filipino workers. He cited statistics from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that showed remittance flows remained a major driver of economic growth and accounted for 9.8 percent of the gross domestic product  in 2016.

Cayetano said the DFA has been working with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to improve coordination, especially in responding to requests for assistance from distressed Filipinos abroad.

Cayetano said he expects to formally present to the President and the Cabinet a proposal for the creation of an OFW cluster that will include the DFA, DOLE and other government agencies, to ensure better coordination on matters involving overseas workers and their family members in the Philippines. DMS