HONG KONG — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte arrived here on Thursday night (May 11) for a two-day working visit after his successful trip to Cambodia for his participation at the World Economic Forum.

President Duterte and his official delegation touched down at Hong Kong International Airport at 10:49 p.m.

The Chief Executive was welcomed by Consul General Bernardita Catalla; So Pui-wan Fiona, Chief Officer Visits Section, Government Secretariat Protocol Division; and Honorary Aide-de-Camp Louis Lau, Chief Police Inspector of the Hong Kong Police Force.

While in Hong Kong, he is scheduled to meet with the Filipino community at the Regal Airport Hotel.

There are some 210,000 Filipinos working and residing in the Special Administrative Region majority of them are household service workers.

In an interview with Mr. Michael Manio, a doctor working at The University of Hong Kong
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
Queen Mary Hospital, he expressed his excitement and eagerness to meet and greet the President.

“It’s very overwhelming because I heard that—because I’ve been here for 7 years. So far, ang napag-alam ko na first president na magvi-visit dito or not even first president, na magvi-visit dito to be with the community and it’s so nice na merong isang presidente na nagmamalasakit sa kanyang kababayan dito para mapakinggan ang kanilang mga hinaing,” he said.

He likewise expressed his support for the Duterte administration in its fight against corruption and illegal drugs noting that he would want to see a better Philippines should he decide return to the country in the future.

“I myself, I want to go back in our country if there are opportunities sa ating bansa, and so that I could promote our country in some ways. That is a country where there’s love, there’s harmony and there’s peace around and masayang-masaya ang ating mga kababayan nung malaman nila na darating ang ating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte and I’m one of those na mag-aattend, so I’m very happy,” he said.

He wished the President good health and called on the Filipinos to unite and support the government in order to make the country safe and secure.

“As much as possible, we want to support our President regardless of kung anuman ang nangyari, in order for us to move on, to move forward because kung hindi tayo magtutulungan, walang mangyayari sa atin,” he said.

“Sana mawala na kasi ‘yun lang talaga ang hiling ng karamihang Pilipino na kung saan uuwi kami, uuwi ‘yung mga kababayan natin na nasa abroad, na one day, sasabihin nila, Philippines is a safe place, Philippines is a nice country and maipagmamalaki natin sa buong mundo,” he added.

Another OFW, Rosabelle Woolf, general manager of door-to-door cargo service AFreight (Asia Pacific) Limited, praised President Duterte for the reforms he has established in the country.

Woolf, who hails from Davao City and has been living in Hong Kong for more than 25 years, said she was impressed by Duterte’s leadership in Davao and she believed that the Chief Executive could do a significant change in Metro Manila as well.

“Ngayon kakaiba na. I find it safer na nakakapaglakad na ako sa MOA to Sea Residences na hindi ako natatakot,” she said recalling her recent visit to Manila.

“Sa airport marami na ring pagbabago. Maganda na ‘yung mga nangyayari,” she added.

From Hong Kong, the President will proceed to Beijing, China to attend the Belt and Road Forum to be participated in by other world leaders.###PND