LABOR DAY MESSAGE OF SECRETARY ALBERT0 G. ROMULO 

Many lives around the world have been touched by the caring hands of our healthcare professionals. The infrastructure of many nations stand proudly and strongly because of the committed efforts of our engineers and construction workers. Our overseas work force draws up resources from the land and the sea to fuel the demands of the growing global economy. Our household managers busy themselves as they lovingly nurture the children of common people and royalty alike. On all the oceans of the world, our seafarers toil to transport global products. Our technology and information experts and workers keep the world's information highway running. 

Ours is a nation far larger than our geographical limits. With millions of our nationals employed in over 180 countries and in ships on every ocean, ours is a nation whose people have become intricately entwined in the lives and futures of people from other lands.  

Filipino workers continue to blaze a trail of professional and economic success in almost every country and have become an important pillar in the economic security of their loved ones back home and the economic stability and progress of the Philippines. 

Though far from home, our overseas workers' love for their homeland and their dedication to their families are proud values that form unbreakable bonds to all of us back home. 

Our overseas workers are an inspiration to us all and we honor them today. 

On behalf of the dedicated men and women of the Department Foreign Affairs, I reiterate our pledge to promote the interests and protect the safety and welfare of our overseas workers. 

We will continue to ensure the protection of our overseas compatriots as our 85 Missions abroad conduct their round-the-clock monitoring of our workers' welfare. We will continue to work for the improvements in our services, including more secure passports. I will continue to task all our Missions overseas to observe their bound duty add responsibility of ensuring the welfare of the Filipino worker. 

We will continue to forge global consensus on the importance of protecting migrant workers. We will work vigorously in every fora to help promote global peace and security. For we know that peace is our imperative. The stakes are far higher for us. With millions of Filipino workers overseas, conflicts and strife can seriously affect their safety and welfare.

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