Vice President Sara Duterte received lots of praise for Filipino workers from three foreign diplomats who visited her on Tuesday.

In a news release on Wednesday, the Office of Vice President (OVP) announced that ambassadors from Chile, Canada, and Singapore also expressed to Duterte their interest to strengthen their respective country’s relations with the Philippines.

The country’s second highest official expressed her gratitude to the Canadian government after Ambassador David Bruce Hartman told her that Canada is interested to include the Philippines in their Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program which allows more Filipinos to visit, study, or do business in their country.

“We appreciate the visa waiver program for the Filipinos,” Duterte said.

The eTA program, according to Hartman, aims to strengthen people-to-people relations.

The Canadian government is expecting two million Filipino citizens to visit their families and friends in Canada.

Meanwhile, Singaporean Ambassador to Manila Constance See Sin Yuan told Duterte how grateful their government is for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have become part of their daily lives and for their commitment to taking care of them, especially during the pandemic.

“Filipinos stood by us, stood in solidarity in the fight against Covid,” See Sin Yuan said.

Chilean Ambassador to the Philippines Alvaro Jara Bucarey also expressed to Duterte the intent of his country to strengthen its relationship with the country.

“Masaya ako sa kanyang pagbisita at ipinaabot ko na handang tumulong ang ating opisina upang mapalakas ang relasyon ng ating bansa sa Chile (I am happy that he visited and I committed that our office is ready to help in strengthening our country’s relations with Chile),” Duterte said. (PNA)