Rody hosting Malacañang Christmas parties for OFWs
President Duterte on Friday said he will host Christmas parties for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Malacañang before the year ends.
Duterte made the announcement when he graced the annual “Pamaskong Salubong Para sa OFW” of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Clark, Pampanga for the repatriated OFWs from Qatar Thursday night.
Duterte, however, explained that he cannot meet them all
at once due to the number of returning OFWs which, in his estimate, are around 5,000.
“Kasi gusto ko ng mga-party tayo kaya lang kung limang libo, mag-beach party nalang tayo sa Pasig [River]. Hindi tayo magkasya diyan sa [Malacañang] Limang-libo, saan ko kayo ilagay (I want for us to have a party but if you’re going to be around 5,000, then let’s just have a beach party in Pasig River. We won’t fit in Malacañang. Where would I put you)?”Duterte said in a jest.
“Alam kong gusto ninyo ng umuwi na muna. It could be after [Christmas] nalang (I know you want to go home first. Let’s just do it after Christmas). We divide the number. Schedule nalang, one libo per meeting (Let’s schedule it, a thousand of you per meeting),” he added.
Duterte then asked Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to order his regional directors to set a date when the OFWs can go to Malacañang to party.
President Duterte welcomed 34 OFWs repatriated from Qatar in Clark, Pampanga.
But they had to wait for the President for around two hours as he was attending a prior event also in Clark.
It was worth the wait for the OFWs as the President led the distribution of Christmas gifts, including cash, and appliances.
According to the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), eight OFWs received 150,000 cash each, while another eight received appliances worth 110,000 each.
Five OFWs received appliances worth 13,000 each, while 12 OFWs received special Christmas gifts.
Four OFWs, meanwhile, received I-DOLE cards which allow OFWs to do away with the long and tedious process of applying for the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) that they need to secure in order prove their legitimacy as Filipino citizens.
Duterte said that he will explain how the OFWs should use the cash during the Christmas parties in Malacañang as he would hate to see them waste the money.
“Para (So) we get to talk to you and give you the fundamentals, the rules kung papaano gamitin iyong pera. Ito pera na ito ng lahat ng Pilipino. Kasali na kayo doon sa nag-contribute ng pera na iyan (on how to use the money. This is the money of all the Filipinos, including you),” he said.
“’Pagnakita kita doon sa casino, [expletive], [expletive], papatayin – Hindi, biro lang iyon (If I see you in the casino… I will kill you. No, I’m just kidding,”Duterte said in a jest.
Duterte, meanwhile, said the Filipino workforce is needed in the country, especially now that the government is looking into building infrastructures to alleviate the traffic situation, and improve market access to provinces.