Tokyo: President Rodrigo Duterte’s common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña couldn’t hold back her tears as she recalls her plight as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)
Avanceña was tasked to speak before the Filipino community and introduce her husband after.
“Bilang isang OFW sa Amerika, alam ko ho ang pakiramdam at paghihirap ng isang OFW, ” Avanceña said as she address the crowd of Filipino workers.
Avanceña worked as a nurse in the United States for four years. She then described OFWs and their sacrifices for the families they left behind.
Her five-minute speech was all the more special as she is hardly seen speaking in presidential events.
“You have the heroic efforts, heroic in the sense na kayod kayo. ‘Yung mga kamag-anak natin sa Pilipinas hindi nila alam ang hirap ibang klase ang trabaho. ‘Yun bang walang pahinga. ‘Yung pag uwi mo gusto mo nalang matulog,” she said.
Avanceña then added that OFWs are also known for their strength of character.
“Ibang klaseng lungkot yung nararamdaman natin pag nandito tayo. Pero kinakaya pa rin. Meron iba nag nervous breakdown dahil sa sobrang lungkot malayo sa pamilya,” she said.
She even commended the work ethics of OFWs calling them outstanding employees and dedicated to their job no matter at what cost.
Duterte then took the center stage and later on refers to Avanceña as his ‘First Lady’.
“No guarantees kung ano titulo mo, but it’s really a destiny na maging First Lady ka. Pero kung mayroon gusto sumunod, OK lang naman,” Duterte said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
