Story by Camille Aguinaldo, News5-InterAksyon
MANILA, Philippines – A daughter of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who returned home from Saudi Arabia may soon be calling the President of the Philippines “Ninong Digong.”
Jovelyn Patac, the mother 11-month baby Princess Sophia, said it was President Rodrigo Duterte himself who had offered to be the godfather of her child.
“Sobra-sobrang blessed po kami ng baby ko dahil siya po (referring to President Duterte) ang magiging ninong ng anak ko (My baby and I are very blessed because President Duterte will be the godfather of my child),” Patac said in a radio interview on Monday, April 17.
Patac and her baby were among the distressed OFWs the President had brought home with him following his week-long official visit to the Middle East.
Patac said no schedule had been set yet for Princess Sophia’s baptism and that she still has to coordinate with the President’s staff regarding Duterte’s availability.
She had been working for three years in Saudi Arabia as a caregiver when she decided to leave her employers, who allegedly did not pay her the rightful wages as stated in her contract.
“Hindi niya po sinusunod ‘yong tamang pagsahod,” said Patac.
Patac said her husband had decided to continue working in Saudi Arabia to provide for their family’s needs.
She said her request for the President would be for him to take steps to once and for all address the problem of lack of sustainable jobs in the country so that Filipinos would no longer be forced to work abroad.
“Hinihiling ko po sana kay Presidente Digong na sana po magkaroon ng sapat na trabaho dito para hindi na po kailangan pumunta ng ibang bansa ‘yong mga OFW,” Patac said.
