President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday noted the improved relations between the Philippines and Kuwait, which has expressed gratitude for the contribution of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Arab country.

President Marcos held bilateral talks with Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, who, according to the President, expressed appreciation for the valuable contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait’s national development.

“They would like to say how grateful they are for the contribution of OFWs to the development of their country. And they have been very kind to us,” President Marcos told the media.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Malaysia.

During a media interview on Tuesday night, following the conclusion of the ASEAN Summit, the President stated that he had discussed the interaction between the Philippines and Kuwait with the Kuwaiti prince.

The President recalled the bilateral meeting with the Kuwaiti Crown Prince that took place in Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the ASEAN-GCC Summit two years ago.

“After we spoke during the meeting in Saudi Arabia, very, very quickly, the problems became smooth. And now we are back to the normal procedures of bringing people to work in Kuwait,” President Marcos said.

President Marcos had five bilateral meetings with his counterparts in the region on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit and related summits.

“Those bilateral contacts are very, very important and we have, of course, continued to encourage that,” President Marcos said. | PND