Sara checks on concerns of OFWs in Macau

MANILA, Philippines — With the plight of Filipino workers abroad again in the spotlight following the brutal murder of a domestic helper in Kuwait, presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio yesterday visited Filipino workers in Macau to listen to their concerns and thank them for their sacrifices.

“Malaki ang respeto ko sa inyo dahil hindi ko kaya ang sakripisyo niyo na mawalay ng matagal sa mga mahal sa buhay (I have great respect for you because I cannot match your sacrifice of leaving for a long time your loved ones),” Sara said in remarks before a gathering of Filipino workers at the Chan Meng Kam Theater in Macau.

The workers were attending the Tapang at Malasakit Macau Alliance Convention.

The mayor also conveyed the Duterte family’s gratitude to the Filipino workers who contributed to the victory of her father in the 2016 presidential elections.

She assured the Filipino workers that President Duterte would be true to his promise of making life comfortable for every Filipino.

Sara’s meeting with Filipino workers in Macau came a day after the official launch in Davao City of her Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), a regional party.

She intends to run either for reelection or for a congressional seat in the 2019 mid-term elections under HNP and not under the ruling PDP-Laban.

With her at the convention were her brother Sebastian Duterte, Tapang and Malasakit convenor Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte of Quezon City, Public Works Undersecretary Karen Jimeno, Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson of the Presidential Communications Office and blogger RJ Nieto.

Earlier, Sara emphasized that Tapang and Malasakit is not a political party and that it is merely an alliance initially of people and groups that supported the presidential bid of her father.

“But this is also a call to all Filipinos to come together for our country,” Sara said at the official launch of the group late last year.

Today at 2 p.m., Sara is set to meet and “touch base” with another group of Filipino workers at the Post Office in Central Hong Kong.

“It will be a good opportunity to touch base with our hardworking OFWs and listen to their stories. The goal is to awaken the spirit of love of country and volunteerism, especially during crises like Marawi and natural calamities,” she said.

“We will also be sharing some of the gains of the Duterte administration. It’s going to be a positive event to promote unity and show our OFWs based in Macau and Hong Kong that they are important and that we care,” she said.