BBM secures release of 24 OFWs by Russia

His visit to Russia may not have yielded investment pledges or major agreements, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was able to secure the release of 24 overseas Filipino workers who had been detained for nine months.

Speaking in Kazan on Friday, Marcos said Philippine-Russian relations remain at an early stage, with both countries identifying potential areas for future cooperation.

“There is no definite agreement that was signed, but certainly the number one thing that we were able to do was identify sectors that we can further work on and develop,” he said.

The President said discussions covered energy, agriculture, artificial intelligence, space technology, and nuclear energy, although no firm commitments were reached.

He added that Russia expressed openness to expanding cooperation, particularly in petroleum supplies, as the Philippines continues to explore nontraditional energy sources.

“There are many complications to that. It is not that simple to sign a trade agreement,” Marcos said, citing geopolitical considerations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier said bilateral trade between the two countries had reached about $500 million, but both leaders agreed there remained room for expansion.

Humanitarian plea

Despite the absence of investment commitments, Marcos described the release of the 24 Filipinos being held in a Russian detention facility as a significant outcome of the trip.

The President said he personally raised the matter with Putin and appealed for a humanitarian solution.

“I remember the last thing he said was, ‘Don’t worry, we will find a way.’ And now, the 24 Filipinos will be released,” Marcos said.

According to the President, the workers were not facing criminal charges and were scheduled for deportation back to the Philippines.