A netizen responded to a lawmaker on Facebook who said that President Rodrigo Duterte’s trip to Hongkong to meet overseas Filipino workers (OFW) was a waste of time and money.
After his participation at the Boao Forum for Asia in China, President Duterte met with OFWs in Hongkong hoping to hear their concerns and to express his support for these workers who leave their families behind to provide a better future for them.
Pres. Duterte Dines with OFW at Jollibee in Hong Kong
However, Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano said that Duterte’s Hongkong trips was nothing but a waste of time and money, adding that he has achieved nothing during his visit.
“Aside from giving a speech to about 2,000 mostly Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong and supposedly dining in a fastfood chain, all for PR purposes, what has his so-called ‘working visit’ achieved for the benefit of our country and people? Nothing!” Alejano said in a press statement.
After Alejano’s statement, a Facebook user named Maureen Rose Meija-Villar responded to the party-list representative, stressing the importance of Duterte’s meet-and-greet with OFWs in Hongkong.
The netizen believes that the visit was Duterte’s way of thanking the migrant workers there who heavily supported and campaigned for him during the 2016 presidential elections.
“Ang OFWs ang mga pinaka-unang target audience/voters namin nung 2016 Presidential campaign.
“Ang kada isa na OFW na nandun sa labas na sumusuporta kay Duterte ay malamang hinikayat at iningganyo ang kanilang mga kapamilya at mga kamag-anak dito sa Pinas na suportahan nila si Duterte para pagka presidente din! Ganito namin ginawa ang Duterte movement from the grassroots!” she said.
Villar said that the fact that Duterte took some time to meet and interact with Filipinos in Hongkong to hear their stories is, in itself, not a waste of time.
“Hindi waste of time para sa isang presidente ng ating bansa na nakihalobilo sa ating mga kababayan sa ibang bansa… Waste of time lang ginawa ni presidente na makasama lamang ang mga taong bomoto sa kanya? Nagmamahal na sa kanya at pamamalakad niya sa Pilipinas ngayon? Sure ka na hindi dapat importante ang mga kababayan natin sa ibang bansa?” she said.
