Marcos: OFWs deserve 'full support'

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Saturday that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) should receive "full support" from the government as he provided updates on initiatives aimed at improving their welfare.

In his speech to the Filipino community in Osaka, Japan, Marcos stated that the government is making sure that opportunities are available to OFWs who choose to retire in the Philippines.

''Hangad din namin maging maayos ang inyong pagdating at pag-alis sa ating bansa. Kaya naman naglaan tayo ng OFW Lounge sa airport para may lugar kung saan puwedeng magpahinga,'' he said.

''Masigasig din ang ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa iba’t ibang bansang tumatanggap ng ating manggagawa para makabuo ng bilateral labor agreement upang matiyak natin na ligtas at makatao ang trabaho, at nabibigyan ng pagkakataong umunlad ang ating mga kababayan.''

(We also want your arrival and departure from our country to be smooth. That is why we have provided an OFW Lounge at the airport so that you can have a place to rest. We are also actively engaging with various countries that receive our workers to craft bilateral labor agreements so that we can ensure that work is safe and humane and that our compatriots are given the opportunity to succeed.)

Marcos also recognized the sacrifices of OFWs to provide for their families in the Philippines. 

''And that is why we will never tire of honoring you and finding ways to improve your lives. You are at the heart of our government’s efforts, and you deserve not only our gratitude but also our full support,'' he said.

Filipinos in Japan can also play a role in building "even stronger connections in shared values for a mutually stable, secure, and prosperous relationship between our two countries," the President said.

“This is why I hope you will join me and the Philippine nation in helping our community here in Japan to grow even more in love with the Philippines, to learn and embrace fully your Filipino identity, and to support our nation’s aspirations for unity, for peace, and for prosperity,” he said.

Marcos is in Japan for a working visit, which includes meetings with local businessmen and a visit to the Philippine Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. He is expected to return to the Philippines on Sunday. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News