“I want every Filipino comfortable in his country”- President Duterte

CITY OF MALOLOS- “During my term, I want everybody, every Filipino comfortable in his country”.

This was the message of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to thousands of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) officials and employees and Bulakenyos as he graced the agency’s 84th Founding Anniversary held at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium in this city today.

Relating his words of inspiration to drug issue, the President said that he understands the sentiments of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) because he himself was from a not well-off family.

He added that sons and daughters of OFWs are the frequent targets of the lawbreakers like illegal drug dealers because they have regular remittances from their parents abroad and they are vulnerable due to lack of parental guidance that is why he is persistent in pushing for a better Philippines for the youth.

“Kapag ang isang pamilya, ang tatay ay aalis at magta-trabaho, that day, the family becomes slightly dysfunctional. Kapag ang isang pamilya, umalis ang tatay, umalis ang nanay, both are working sa ibang bansa, that family becomes dysfunctional,” the president added.

Meanwhile, DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III celebrated the agency’s milestones which include the campaign against contractualization and other illegal contracting practices, as well as gains in the intensified implementation of labor laws and standards, and occupational health and safety in workplaces.

“We celebrate the hard work of our people in the department in the attainment of our goals of uplifting the lives of every Filipino worker,” the labor secretary said.

For his part, Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado saluted the bravery of the OFWs coined as the “makabagong bayani”.

“Ang mga manggagawang Pilipino marahil, ang pinakatatangi sa lahat ng manggagawa sa buong daigdig. Taglay ang likas na kasipagan, kahusayan, pagkamatiisin, talino at hindi matatawarang determinasyong iangat ang kanyang pamumuhay, sampu ng kanyang pamilya sa kabila ng maraming pagsubok na dulot ng samu’t saring karamdaman ng lipunan,” Alvarado said.

Prior to the program with the president, the celebration of the labor department’s founding anniversary, which is anchored on the theme “Trabahong Marangal Para sa Lahat, Sabay-Sabay Nating I-angat” had a Miss DOLE 2017 Pageant wherein the representative from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) took home the title and P50,000 cash prize.

After the program, the DOLE officials and employees joined the Bulakenyos in lighting the 56 feet giant Christmas tree that signifies the start of Paskong Bulakenyo.