Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to visit the UAE in the third week of May, a top diplomat said on Friday, 3rd March, 2017.

The president is expected to visit the UAE on his way to Moscow, Perfecto Yasay Jr, secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of Philippines, said at a meeting with community leaders in Abu Dhabi.

“This is tentative; a confirmed date will be announced later.”

He said he discussed the president’s proposed visit with the UAE officials in his bilateral meetings with them.

More than 600,000 OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) in the UAE have been eagerly waiting  since Duterte’s proposed visit was announced late last year.

Yasay said establishing the “OFW Bank”, a dedicated bank for Overseas Filipino Workers, is a top priority of the Philippine government.

Discussions at official levels are progressing in this regard. Apart from offering many services, the bank will help reintegrate OFWs back home, he said.

Jeffrey Uy, president of Bayanihan Council, the umbrella organisation of Filipino groups in Abu Dhabi, said that the bank will help OFWs save fees on remittances.