BRUSSELS — Election fever gripped President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his delegation as they were welcomed by roaring cheers of the Filipino community here on Monday evening (early Tuesday morning in Manila).

At least a thousand Filipinos from Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Poland came together at the Event Lounge in the capital of Belgium to welcome the Chief Executive.

In his speech, the Philippine leader recognized the professionalism of overseas Filipino workers in Europe which he said is the reason why Filipinos are highly regarded workers abroad.

"The Filipino community organizations here in Europe continue to maintain deep and growing friendships with people of different nations. Filipinos in this part of the world will continue to be highly regarded because of your jolly and high-spirited manner, your hard work, and your dedication," Marcos said.

According to the latest government data, there are a total of 5,647 Filipinos living in the Kingdom of Belgium. Of this number, however, 1,663 are undocumented migrants.

Most Filipinos here work as domestic cleaners and helpers, while some work as hotel staff members.

It is through them, he added, that the relations of the Philippine government with the European countries, particularly in Belgium, remain to be prosperous.

"Our ties with Belgium continue to flourish, not only because of G2G or government-to-government contracts but because of the strong interpersonal linkages of the Filipino community with Belgians and other expatriates, whether through employment or marriage and family ties," Marcos said.

"Truly, you all deserve to be recognized because your interaction with them has enriched our relations."

The President vowed to boost the country's economic institutions to be able to create quality jobs in the Philippines so the OFWs would no longer have to leave their families back home.

"You are the ones who hold the reputation of Filipinos in high regard. It is because of your good work that Europeans adore you. Everyone I know says that Filipinos really work hard," he said.

"We are hoping that time would come when we can achieve our dreams without leaving the country due to lack of opportunities. We will reach that goal," he stressed.

Marcos also explained his government's eight-point socioeconomic agenda and assured that it is on track to create more quality jobs by investing heavily in human capital development, infrastructure, and the digital economy.

"The 8-point program is divided into short-term goals, which will protect the purchasing power of the peso and minimize socioeconomic hardships by ensuring food security, reducing transport and logistics costs, reducing energy costs to families," he said.

This economic agenda, he believes would increase Filipino employability as well as encourage more research and development.

Nelia Leros, an OFW in Belgium for 24 years now, is among the many OFWs who are hopeful that the Marcos administration will be able to achieve this.

Despite the sufficient benefits she is receiving as a migrant worker, Leros said she would still choose to retire back home.

"I want to be with my family and achieve my long-overdue dreams — to finish College," she told the Daily Tribune.

"All my life I feel like I have been giving everything my family needs because I am the eldest. I chose to do it, I want to do it, but sometimes I have been thinking that I'm not saving something for myself," she added.

In ten years, she said, she wanted to go back home and study Anthropology and do developmental work in the indigenous tribes in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople announced that the Marcos administration is looking at adding more labor attaches to protect the rights of Filipino migrant workers.

"Next year, we already have the budget. We will be able to provide all the help you need. We will add our labor attaches offices. We will have to study where to put these offices in Europe," Ople said.

Ople said the government has also laid out initiatives to help overseas Filipinos looking to go back to the country for good like assisting them in putting up small businesses.

The DMW official said the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Reform, meanwhile, will provide opportunities for returning OFWs who want to venture into agriculture and agribusiness enterprises.

"Yung gusto namang mag-farming, mag-agribusiness, 'yung may mga lupang nakatiwangwang, tutulungan naman kayo ng (Those who wants to engage in farming, agri-business, and have idle lands will be assisted by the) Department of Agriculture," Ople said.

"Yung mga walang lupa pero gustong magtanim din, bumalik sa pagsasaka, alam niyo, malaking bagay (ang) food security… Yung mga OFWs na babalik, doon sa mga lupa ng gobyernong nakatiwangwang, ay pwedeng ipagamit para kayo naman ay kumita (Those who want to engage in farming but do not own lands, food security is important. The government can lend its idle lands for them to earn through farming)," she added.

Marcos is currently on a three-day trip to Brussels for his participation at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union commemorative summit.

He noted that the ASEAN-EU summit serves as an important opportunity for the Philippines to bolster its relations with Europe and push for development cooperation.

Marcos will have an audience with King Philippe of Belgium where the two leaders are expected to talk about expanding cooperation between Manila and Brussels.

"The Filipino community organizations here in Europe continue to maintain deep and growing friendships with people of different nations. Filipinos in this part of the world will continue to be highly regarded because of your jolly and high-spirited manner, your hard work, and your dedication," Marcos said.