MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed his gratitude to United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for the pardon of 143 Filipinos.
In a social media post on Tuesday, the Chief Executive said Zayed relayed to him the information while talking over the phone about the flourishing ties between the two countries.
President Marcos Jr., however, did not mentioned in his post which crimes the 143 Filipinos were convicted of and what sentences they were facing in the UAE.
“I extended to him my heartfelt thanks for the UAE’s humanitarian aid in the wake of the recent typhoons and floods that struck the Philippines,” Marcos said.
“It is always inspiring to hear how our Filipino workers continue to excel and make a positive contribution in the UAE. I expressed my gratitude for the kindness extended to them, particularly their generous pardon of 143 Filipinos, which has brought relief to many families,” he added.
The President further said the Philippines and the UAE “share strong bonds, rooted in the values and aspirations of our peoples” and he looks forward to strengthening this partnership in the years ahead.
Of the 2.16 million overseas Filipino workers listed in 2023, 13.6 percent worked in the UAE, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
From January to July 2024, overseas Filipino workers’ remittances reached $21.5 billion, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Of this amount, 4.2 percent was from Filipino workers in the UAE, data showed./PN
