Duterte to bring home USD143.6-M fresh investments

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the members of his delegation hold a working lunch meeting with Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein and other Jordanian officials at the Al Husseinieh Palace in Amman on September 6, 2018. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte will bring home a total of USD143.57 million worth of fresh investments from his six-day official visit to Israel and Jordan, Malacañang said Friday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said USD82.9 million of the amount was the result of business meetings between the Filipino and Israeli businessmen.

He said three memorandum of agreements (MOAs), 11 memorandum of understandings (MOUs) and seven letter of intents (LOIs) have been signed during the business forum Israel.

“They have also met about defense and security cooperation and of course, we now recognize Israel as major partner in AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) modernization program,” Roque said in a press briefing in Amman, Jordan.

Roque said the Philippines is now one of the most important markets for arms made in Israel.

He said an agreement on labor cooperation has also been signed where 29,000 Filipino workers, mostly caregivers, will benefit in Israel.

Roque said the MOA on temporary employment of home-based Filipino caregivers will reduce, if not totally eliminate, the USD12,000 placement fee being charged from Filipinos who want to work in Israel.

In Jordan, Roque said two MOUs and eight LOIs have also been signed, resulting in USD60.7 million worth of investments.

“During the first visit of a Philippine president here in Jordan, there were some agreements including deals on political consultation, defense cooperation, investment and framework for the employment of domestic workers,” Roque said.

Around 49,000 Filipinos are working in Jordan, many of them are domestic workers.

During his meeting with King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein at the Al Husseinieh Palace, Duterte thanked the King of Jordan for donating two AH-15 Cobra attack helicopters and some firearms and ammunition.

Like in Israel, Duterte also met the Filipino community in Jordan to wrap up his productive visit.

He is set to arrive at the Davao International Airport on Saturday morning.