PBBM: More help coming for OFWs

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has reaffirmed his commitment to helping overseas Filipino workers and their families in the country during his state visit to Singapore.

Marcos said his administration, through Migrant Workers Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople, will take care of the OFWs and their families through scholarship grants, healthcare benefits, and housing, among others.

"'Yan po ang tinatrabaho natin ngayon at nasisimulan na po natin para naman 'yung trabaho ninyo ay hindi kayo, hindi niyo kinakailangan isipin ang kalagayan ng inyong mga mahal sa buhay," Marcos told the Filipino community that gathered at the Ho Bee Auditorium of the National University of Singapore on Tuesday evening.

"Makakaasa po kayo kasama ang ating Gabinete, ang ating mga opisyal, ay puspusang magtratrabaho upang makamit ang inaasam-asam nating pag-asenso."

Following a three-day state visit in Indonesia, Marcos flew to Singapore on Tuesday afternoon for his state visit to the country. Singapore is one of the Philippines' top trading partners in Southeast Asia.

The Filipino chief executive kicked off his two-day stay in Singapore with a meeting with the Filipino community.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles said more than 1,500 OFWs gathered to welcome the President.

Marcos won a landslide victory in the 2022 presidential elections after securing 70 percent of the total votes cast — the second highest voter turnout for overseas automated voting in the Asia Pacific and the third highest in the world.

An estimated 200,000 OFWs are currently living and working in Singapore. Of this number, 58 percent are registered as professionals and skilled workers, while 42 percent are employed as household service workers.

Singapore was the second largest source of overseas Filipino remittances worldwide for the year 2021, amounting to $2.20 billion.