Iloilo City –President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. extended his gratitude to the Filipino community in the United States for their significant contributions to the Philippine economy, during a meeting with them in Los Angeles, California on Sunday (PH time).
According to Philippines News Agency, personal remittances from the Filipino community have been consistently increasing each year. He highlighted the vital role these contributions have played in helping the Philippines navigate through some of the toughest global and regional financial crises. "What you have helped our country and people weather...has been invaluable and for that, we cannot thank you enough," Marcos said.
The President also encouraged Filipino workers in the US to promote the Philippines among their families and friends as a destination for tourism, trade, and investment. He mentioned that the Philippine government has implemented various reforms and introduced improvements and innovations to facilitate this.
Understanding the challenges of working overseas, Marcos expressed his hope that, in the future, working abroad will be just one of the options available to Filipinos. He called on the Filipino community in the US to continue supporting the Philippine government's efforts to realize this dream. Marcos emphasized their role as ambassadors of Filipino culture and champions of the Philippines as a prime destination in Asia.
In light of recent hate crimes and incidents against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, Marcos urged Filipinos to continue being ambassadors of goodwill. He assured that the Philippine Embassy and consulates in the US are actively monitoring these incidents and will coordinate with US authorities to provide assistance to those affected.
Currently, there are approximately 4.4 million Filipinos in the US, with a significant number residing in Southern California.