OVP open to help distressed OFWs — VP Sara

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) is willing to assist distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who choose to return to the Philippines instead of continuing to work abroad, Vice President Sara Duterte said in a statement.

Duterte made the remark during her visit last week to the Filipino community in Kuwait. She left the country on Friday.

She shared that their helper at home chose to return to the Philippines because her employer did not provide her with meals.

“Huwag ninyong ipagpalit ang inyong pagkatao, ang inyong dignidad bilang isang tao. Kasi yung treatment o pakikitungo na ganyan ay hindi makatao,” the Vice President said during her speech before a group of OFWs.

(Do not trade your dignity as a person, because that kind of treatment is inhumane.)

“Bumalik na lang kayo sa Pilipinas, pag-usapan na lang natin sa Office of the Vice President kung saan ba kami makatulong,” she added.

(Just return  to the Philippines, and let’s see what the Office of the Vice President can do to help.)

The OVP earlier said Duterte flew to Kuwait to join Filipinos there for a gathering to discuss concerns and issues impacting their sector.

In Kuwait, the Vice President reiterated the importance of input from OFWs, particularly in sharing the positive things they see abroad.

“Mahalaga ang inyong input. Dahil kayo ‘yung mga nakatira at nagkatrabaho sa iba't ibang lugar sa mundo. Dahil nakita nyo na ang the best sa ibang bansa na hindi ninyo nakikita sa ating bansa,” Duterte said.

(Your input is important. You are the ones who have lived and worked in different parts of the world. You’ve seen the best in other countries, the things we don’t see in our country.)

The OVP said that after the Kuwait visit, the Vice President will "proceed to continue working on the release of our former head of state Rodrigo Duterte, who was forcibly taken from Philippine soil.”

The elder Duterte is currently detained in the International Criminal Court detention facility in The Hague for charges of crimes against humanity in connection with his deadly war on drugs when he was mayor of Davao City and later, as President of the Philippines.

Last month, the ICC granted the request of the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend the tribunal’s decision on his request for interim release until his defense lawyers have collated all the needed supporting information. — RF, GMA Integrated News