PH thanks Saudi Arabia for support to OFWs, Muslim pilgrims

The Philippines has expressed gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its support of overseas Filipino workers, Muslim pilgrims, and humanitarian initiatives, as the Kingdom marked its 95th National Day on Tuesday.

In her remarks on behalf of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teresa P. Lazaro, DFA Undersecretary Maria Theresa de Vega thanked Riyadh for hosting over 700,000 Filipinos who work and reside in the Kingdom, calling them a “living bridge” of friendship and cooperation.

She also cited Saudi Arabia’s role in facilitating the religious journey of thousands of Filipino Muslims, noting that about 5,000 pilgrims were able to perform the Hajj this year. 

"We likewise thank the Kingdom for continuously hosting thousands of our Muslim brothers and sisters who perform the Umrah and the yearly Hajj in Saudi Arabia,” de Vega said.

The undersecretary highlighted the humanitarian work of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which successfully separated Filipino twins Akhizah and Ayeesha last year. 

Another set of twins, Klea Ann and Maurice Ann Misa from Occidental Mindoro, are scheduled to undergo surgery in the Kingdom, making them the third Filipino conjoined twins to benefit from the program.

“These efforts have given hope not only to families in the Philippines but also to many others around the world,” de Vega said.

She added that the Philippines looks forward to pursuing stronger cooperation with the Kingdom in line with Ambisyon Natin 2040 and Saudi Vision 2030, which both seek to advance national development and improve the quality of life for their citizens.

The speech was made during a reception hosted by the Embassy in Makati Shangri-La, hosted by Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Faisal Ebraheem Alghamdi. 

Speaking before Philippine officials, diplomats, and members of the private sector, Alghamdi said ties between the two nations, established in 1969, have flourished into a “distinguished model of genuine partnership founded on mutual respect and shared interests.”

He added that more than one million Filipinos are contributing to Saudi Arabia’s development, while thousands of Filipino pilgrims travel each year to fulfil their religious rites with ease and comfort. —LDF, GMA Integrated News