Palace refutes Tulfo: Filipinos are 'competent, hardworking'

FILIPINO workers are "competent" and hardworking," Malacañang said on Monday, March 11, to counter the statement of Special Envoy to China Ramon Tulfo that Filipino workers are "lazy."

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, however, that the Palace respects Tulfo's "freedom of expression".

"Well, that is freedom of expression. Everyone is entitled to make his opinion on any matter concerning the country or the people or anybody," he said, when sought for reaction on Tulfo's "lazy" remark against Filipino workers.

"[But] definitely, ang tingin natin syempre, ang mga Pilipino, talagang masisipag. Talagang magaling ang mga Pilipino. If we put our hearts into it, magagaling talaga ang mga Pilipino (But definitely, we see Filipinos as hardworking. Filipinos are competent. If we put our hearts into it, we can see that Filipinos are competent)," he added.

Tulfo has earned backlash for claiming that Filipino workers are "lazy".

His remarks came more than two weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte called on his fellow Filipinos to just allow Chinese workers to seek jobs in the Philippines.

On February 23, the President raised concern that Filipinos working in China might also be evicted if the Philippines deports Chinese laborers working in the country.

Tulfo, in a television interview on March 7, defended the rise in the number of Chinese nationals working in the country, claiming that Chinese workers are "better" than Filipino workers.

"Do you know why the developers prefer Chinese workers? Because they are hardworking. The Filipino workers, pardon me, when they go to the job site, that's only the time they would prepare their tools -- whereas the Chinese workers are already prepared -- and then they always smoke cigarettes and talk nonstop," Tulfo said.

Labor groups slammed Tulfo for issuing a statement against his fellow Filipinos and sought an apology from him for insulting Filipino workers in the country.

Tulfo on Saturday, March 9, refused to apologize over his remarks, saying that he was merely telling the "truth" that Filipino laborers are lazy.

"Why should I apologize to you for telling the truth that you're basically lazy and a slowpoke? Does the truth hurt?" he said in a post on Twitter.

Despite this, Panelo said there was no need to discipline Tulfo.

The Palace official said Tulfo's statement should serve as a reminder for Filipino workers to "change their attitude with respect to work ethics."

Asked if Tulfo's remarks against Filipino workers can affect their reputation and employment overseas, Panelo said, "No."

"Because you know why? Because I said, the general impression and reputation of Filipino workers abroad are very good. We are industrious, we are honest. Maganda nga ang reputasyon (We have a good reputation)," Panelo added. (SunStar Philippines)

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