Sara Duterte honors Pinoys in UK; calls for courage, empathy

Vice President Sara Duterte honored the contributions of Filipinos in the United Kingdom and called on the public to be courageous and compassionate during her visit to the Filipino community in London.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo palagi sa ating mga overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at sa Filipino migrants dahil alam naman natin na ang dollars ninyo ang pinakamalaking remittance sa Pilipinas,” Duterte said during her speech on Saturday.

(We’re always thankful for our OFWs and Filipino migrants because we know that your dollars are the biggest remittance in the Philippines.)

She urged Filipinos to work together and be courageous and compassionate so that working abroad would become a choice, not a necessity, for future generations.

“Ayaw natin na 70 years from now ang ating mga anak ay tulad ng ating mga overseas Filipinos ngayon na 16 hours na nagtatrabaho para lang masuportahan ang pamilyang naiwan sa Pilipinas. Mga kababayan, ibalik natin ang tapang at malasakit,” Duterte said.

(Seventy years from now, we do not want our children to face the same reality as many overseas Filipinos do today, working 16 hours a day just to provide for the families they left behind in the Philippines. My fellow Filipinos, let us restore our courage and compassion.)

"Ang normal na lang para sa mga Pilipino ang pangarap na mag-abroad. Mali yan. Dahil dapat ang sariling bansa mismo natin ang nagbibigay sa atin ng oportunidad,” she added.

(Dreaming of going abroad has become normal for Filipinos, but that is wrong. Because our own country should be providing us opportunities.)

She also criticized the Philippine government for alleged corruption.

"Dahil napakaraming 'buwaya' sa Pilipinas,” Duterte said. “Ang nangyari sa ating mga Pilipino, nagkanya-kanya tayo. Yung mga nakaupo, umangat, nagkaroon, nakapangyarihan, naging makasarili."

(Since there are many "crocodiles" in the Philippines, Filipinos went on their own. Those who gained positions, wealth, and power became selfish.)

GMA News Online has reached out to Malacañang for comment and will update this story once it responds.

The Vice President is on an overseas trip from July 16 to 31, with scheduled visits to Qatar, the United Kingdom (UK), and the Netherlands. —RF, GMA News