PRESS RELEASE
PR -058- 2017
President Duterte Strengthens Ties with Saudi Arabia
During Visit to the Kingdom
Figure 1: President Rodrigo R. Duterte meets with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty, King Salman Bin Abdulasis Al Saud. ( Photo courtesy of the Saudi Press Agency.)
(Riyadh, 24 April 2017) President Rodrigo Duterte held a successful state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 10-12 April 2017.
The highlight of the President’s visit is his meeting with Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, at his private residenceon 11 April 2017 in which they discussed possible areas of cooperation on economic, trade and security areas.
President Duterte and King Salman witnessed the signing of the following agreements:
- Agreement on Labor Cooperation for General Workers Recruitment and Employment between the Department of Labor and Employment of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Labor and Social Development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Political Consultations between the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Cooperation Program Between the Foreign Service Institute of the Republic of the Philippines and Prince Saud Al Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Figure 2: President Duterte talks with the Emir of Riyadh, His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. (photo courtesy of E. Manigo)
President Duterte also spoke in a business forum attended by top business leaders of Saudi Arabia and the Philippines on 12 April 2017. During the forum, the President witnessed the signing of investment agreements amounting to $469 million which is expected to generate as much as 16,000 new employment opportunities for the country.
Before leaving for Bahrain on 12 April 2017, the next leg of his trip to the Middle East, President Duterte spoke before some 2,000 members of the Filipino community in the Kingdom at the Riyadh Marriot Hotel, amidst very strict security measures imposed by the host government.
Figure 3: President Duterte's arrival during the Meeting with the Filipino Community on 12 April 2017 at Riyadh Marriott Hotel. (photo courtesy of E. Manigo)
The President outlined the government’s fight against corruption and criminality. President Duterte also promised better working conditions for the millions of Filipinos who are working in the Kingdom.
Figure 4: President Duterte (center) together with Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique N. Manalo (left) and Secretary of Labor Silvestre H. Bello III (right) (photo courtesy of E. Manigo)
Shortly before the President’s return to the Philippines, 138 Filipinos, including 63 women, 55 men and 20 children, were successfully repatriated after availing of Saudi Arabia’s amnesty program. This batch of repatriates were flown by the Saudi government as a gesture of goodwill following the cordial meeting between President Duterte and King Salman. Thousands more of undocumented Filipinos in the Kingdom are expected to avail of the amnesty program.
(END)
