Undocumented OFWs in US will be given assistance—Cayetano

Undocumented OFWs in US will be given assistance—Cayetano
(Photo: Alan Peter Cayetano/Facebook)

MANILA—Undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the US will still be given government assistance, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said.

Cayetano made the clarification following criticism made by OFW groups against Pres. Duterte for saying that he would “not lift a finger” to help undocumented OFWs if they got caught or deported given new immigration policies.

He said the context of Duterte’s remark was merely to affirm the Philippine government’s non-interference in domestic affairs of the US government.

“Ayaw lang ng Pangulo na diktahan ang Amerika kung ano ang immigration policy nito, dahil ayaw din nating diktahan tayo (The President does not want to dictate America on its immigration policy, because we don’t want to be dictated either). But it doesn’t mean the President doesn’t care,” he stressed.

The senator also assured OFWs that the administration is currently holding dialogues with its counterparts to ensure due process for them.

He also cited the recent clarification made by US State Department acting spokesman Mark Toner that Filipinos remain welcome in the United States and that the Philippines is not among the countries of concern by the Trump administration.