THE FIRST CHOICE OF OFWs: Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo R. Duterte, left, gestures during an interview with Arab News in Manila recently. (AN photo)
ABDUL HANNAN TAGO
Published — Wednesday 17 February 2016RIYADH: The Philippine opposition presidential candidate, Rodrigo R. Duterte, has promised Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) that he will prioritize their welfare and assured that he would see to it that the authorities are informed within 24 hours if any citizen is arrested abroad.
Duterte, who is the first Filipino candidate from Mindanao, took over as chairman of the new political party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan, on Feb 9.
Duterte has reportedly received the support of over 10 million OFWs abroad for what his supporters believe is a track record of eliminating drug abuse, crime and corruption.
The “Iron Mayor,†as he is called, hates the word “domestic helper†in relation to Filipino expatriate workers. He has reportedly turned his city Davao into the fifth-safest one in the world in 2015.
In an interview with Arab News recently in Manila, Duterte said he would create a bank solely for OFWs to ensure they can make their transactions hassle-free. He would also provide legal officers to assist OFWs with their problems.
He said he also has several plans on the economic front, which includes creating jobs and making better use of the country’s resources. “Our country needs steel. I do not agree that we should be exporting everything that we have,†he said.
Duterte said he also wants improved relations with Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, and make sure working conditions respect the dignity of workers.
He said a further priority is to tackle drug abuse, crime and corruption in government. He plans to topple the drug mafia and eliminate corruption in three to six months.
Duterte said OFWs are really only concerned about their children’s security at home. They want to make sure that their children are able to use the money sent home to good use. They are concerned about crime, rape and drug addiction, he said. He said he wants to ensure all Filipinos are protected, wherever they find themselves. However, he warned that OFWs must obey the laws of the countries where they work.
“Most of all we have to improve our gross domestic product ... I will establish economic zones that pave the way for investments to create more employment.â€
Rodrigo “Rody†Roa Duterte was born on March 28, 1945. Nicknamed Digong, he is a Filipino lawyer and politician of Visayan descent. Duterte is among the longest-serving mayors in the Philippines, according to Wikipedia.
He has been mayor of Davao City, a highly urbanized city on Mindanao Island, for seven terms, totaling more than 22 years. He has also served as vice-mayor and congressman in the city. He declared his candidacy for the presidency on Nov. 21, 2015.
He obtained a law degree in 1972. In the same year, he passed the bar exam. Duterte eventually became Special Counsel at the City Prosecution Office in Davao City from 1977 to 1979; Fourth Assistant City Prosecutor from 1979 to 1981; Third Assistant City Prosecutor from 1981 to 1983; and Second Assistant City Prosecutor from 1983 to 1986, according to Wikipedia.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/881761
