Page 152 - AAE PR REPORT - APRIL 2025

5/8/25, 9:45 AM Filipinos in UAE say they cannot afford to support Duterte by withholding payments back home | The National
Filipinos in UAE say they cannot afford to support Duterte

by withholding payments back home

Former president detained in The Hague over charges related to deadly war on drugs

Ramola Talwar Badam
March 27, 2025
Filipinos living in the UAE have said they are unable to back a campaign supporting the country's former president Rodrigo Duterte by
stopping sending money back to the Philippines.

A campaign by Filipinos working overseas to withhold payments back to their home country began on Friday, in protest against the
detention of Mr Duterte. He was arrested this month in Manila by police acting on an International Criminal Court warrant accusing him of
crimes against humanity in connection to his deadly war on drugs.

Mr Duterte was flown to a detention unit in The Hague, where he has remained since. The protest, known as "zero remittance week", was
scheduled to coincide with the former president's 80th birthday on Friday and will run until April 4.

“It will not be effective. Who will be affected? It will not affect the Philippines, only our families will be affected,” said Albert Serna, 59, an
Abu Dhabi resident who sent home Dh5,000 to his wife and children on Friday.

“Even my pro-Duterte friends are sending money home today. I’m not pro-Duterte and also not pro-Marcos.

“I don’t agree with my friends, I don’t feel that you can idolise one person like Duterte. I once did support Duterte but I want a politician who
does good for the people, builds the economy, gives employment to people.

Duterte became president in 2016 promising a merciless crackdown to rid the country of drugs. He has immense popularity at home and
overseas although rights groups and families of victims have hailed his arrest.

Since his election, between 12,000 and 30,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed in the anti-drugs operation, according to ICC
data.

Silent protest
One Dubai resident who gave her name as LP counts herself as a staunch supporter.

“Us people living abroad love this man, our heart goes to him because he always stood up for us,” said the UAE resident who spoke on
condition of anonymity.

“We OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) feel bad and feel sad for this old man who was our president. This zero-remittance week is a silent
support for him and a protest against our government without any violence.

“This gives a voice to the Filipinos to say we are a big factor contributing to remittances and it’s a way to be united and express ourselves.
Maybe our government will be alarmed when they see Filipinos from America, the Middle East and Europe not sending money – it will be
billions of pesos lost even in a few days.”

But she was unable to join the protest as her family in the Philippines required the money to pay bills.

“My family comes first. I do support him but these people will not feed my family. I have bills to pay at the end of the month. I don’t have a
choice, I must send money home.”

Abu Dhabi resident Luz works in the food and beverage sector and she too sent home about Dh3,000 on Friday.

“This is all politics, you need to be practical,” said the 37-year-old who has lived in the UAE for a decade.

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