Khalifa Sports City
April 14, 2017

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was warmly welcomed by thousands of Filipinos residing and working in the Kingdom of Bahrain as he met with them in a gathering held at the Khalifa Sports Complex on the last day of his three-day state visit to the kingdom.

Chants and cheers welcomed the President as he entered the court where some 4,000 excited Filipinos eagerly awaited his arrival. He also gamely sang with the performer during the song rendition of ‘Ikaw’.

In his speech, President Duterte introduced his accompanying Cabinet members to the audience and said that his visit to the Middle East is his first trip outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries. He said that he chose the Middle East because of national interest, particularly the welfare of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

He relayed to them the good news that the Bahrainis have only positive words for the Filipinos in their country, as told to him personally by the King of Bahrain. He was also elated to know from the King that Filipinos are treated well in their second home.

The President encouraged his kababayans to be assertive of their rights when they are back in the Philippines, and to avoid being employed by “fly by night employment agencies.” Relative to this, he informed them that should they encounter a government official or employee whose conduct is unbecoming, they could report these people to 8888. He also pledged to stop corruption in government and reiterated his campaign against illegal drugs.

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