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Palace: Duterte, Saudi crown prince discuss worker protection, COVID-19 shots

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/05/06/20210428-saudi-prince.jpg"/><figcaption>Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman smiles during a televised interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 27, 2021. Picture taken April 27, 2021. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Reuters</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman discussed the protection of migrant workers and access to COVID-19 shots during a phone call this week, Malacañang said on Thursday. Duterte was referring to Saudi Arabia&#x27;s de facto ruler when he said during a late night speech on Wednesday night that he was waiting for the call of a &quot;crown prince,&quot; said Palace spokesman Harry Roque. Saudi Arabia leads the campaign to reform kafala, a sponsorship system for migrant workers that Duterte wants <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/20/21/duterte-calls-for-complete-abolition-of-kafala-system-for-migrant-workers">fully abolished</a>, Roque said. “Ang pag-uusap po ay nakasentro kung paano po mapapalakas pa ang proteksyon na ibibigay sa mga manggagawang Pilipino na nasa Saudi Arabia,” he said in a press briefing. (Their conversation centered on how to boost the protection of Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia.) Commonly practiced in Arab countries, the kafala system requires migrant workers to have a sponsor in the host country so that a visa and worker&#x27;s permit can be issued. This means that foreigners&#x27; right to work is dependent on their employers, making them vulnerable to abuse. The kafala system has led to non-payment of wages, restriction of workers&#x27; movement, denial of health care, &quot;perpetual exploitation,&quot; and &quot;outright murder,&quot; Duterte said in April. Roque likened the kafala campaign to a “modern day civil rights movement.” He said the two leaders also discussed COVID-19 vaccines. “Pinag-usapan din nila na sa panahon ng pandemya, kinakailangan magkaroon po talaga ng sistema na lahat po ng bansa sa daigidig–mahirap o mayaman, ay dapat magkaroon po ng bakuna,” Roque said. “Kung hindi naman po ligtas ang lahat, wala pong ligtas sa pandemyang ito,” he added. (They also talked about the need for a global system during the pandemic–countries rich or poor should have vaccines. No one is safe from the pandemic until everyone is safe.) The Philippines has around 2.2 million migrant workers, whose remittances serve as lifeline to the Philippine economy, according to 2019 government data. Saudi Arabia is the most preferred destination of overseas Filipino workers, who represent 22.4 percent of OFWs. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/05/03/21/saudi-arabia-to-lift-travel-curbs-on-fully-vaccinated-citizens">Saudi Arabia to lift travel curbs on fully vaccinated citizens</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1679147" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Video courtesy of PTV</div>

President Rodrigo Duterte and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman discussed the protection of migrant workers and access to COVID-19 shots during a phone call this week, Malacañang said on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman discussed the protection of migrant workers and access to COVID-19 shots during a phone call this week, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Palace: Duterte, Saudi crown prince discuss worker protection, COVID-19 shots

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Palace: Duterte, Saudi crown prince discuss worker protection, COVID-19 shots

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 06, 2021 03:22 PM PHT

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Updated May 06, 2021 03:27 PM PHT

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