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One of the world’s most polarising leaders arrives in Bahrain today, amidst great fanfare in the local Filipino expat community.
Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, will be visiting the kingdom until Friday as part of a tour taking in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar in a bid to boost relations and secure better working conditions for the region’s high number of Filipino workers.
He has revealed that he will be reviewing subjects such as finance, food security and medical tourism with the leaders and officials of the three Gulf countries. Duterte has frequently made reference in his speeches to Filipinos working in the Middle East, as he believes their families were often victims of the ill effects of illegal drugs.
He is known for his controversial outbursts, his extremely tough methods of crime-fighting, and his uncompromising stance against drugs which have drawn international concern. However, it has made him a hugely popular figure in his home country and will citizens working abroad who feel they are safer on the streets and have a determined representative on the world stage.
Duterte is set to arrive today, where he will meet His Majesty King Hamad as well as other senior officials, before attending a community gathering on Friday at Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium in Isa Town at 6pm.
The event is open to the Filipino community only, and the allocation of 4,000 spaces was snapped up almost instantly as the president’s supporters rushed to register their place.
Philippines Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso Ver said: “President Duterte will meet His Majesty and take part in other royal ceremonies. Several agreements will be signed to boost business ties between the two countries.”
The Philippines and Bahrain established diplomatic relations in the early 1980s with the Philippine ambassador to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, accredited as ‘non-resident ambassador to the State of Bahrain’.
In 1992, due to the growing number of overseas Filipino workers, the embassy of the Philippines in Bahrain was formally established with ambassador Leonides T Caday at the helm.
Cristalyn Pastrana, a member of the media team organising Duterte’s visit, said: “I think most of the people in Bahrain are excited to see him, whether Filipino or not! I think everybody is so excited, especially as it’s the first time he’s visited the Middle East. People will be coming here from the UAE and nearby regions in Saudi Arabia like Damam and Khobar.”
“He has had some bad press worldwide, but he’s one of the best presidents we’ve ever had in my opinion. I’ve seen the changes in my country first-hand, while a lot of previous presidents have promised various things but never delivered. Hopefully, the global image of him will change as I think it’s unfair.”
