OFWs plan Zero Remittance Week for Duterte

Supporters of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte gather outside the Scheveningen Prison following his arrest in The Hague, Netherlands. ARCHIVE

The Philippine government has warned Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) against participating in the planned “Zero Remittance Week” protest, emphasizing that the move could have economic repercussions beyond the government. The campaign, reportedly organized by groups of Duterte supporters in Europe, including Maisug Croatia, calls for a week-long halt on remittances from March 28 to April 4 as a show of protest against the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands, facing crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his controversial war on drugs. In a press briefing on Tuesday (March 25), Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro urged OFWs to remain calm and consider the wider impact of their actions. “Of course, we want every Filipino to remain calm about these issues. The government is simply upholding the law. We also have fellow Filipinos who have filed complaints against former President Duterte,” Castro said in Filipino. She also emphasized that halting remittances would not only affect the government but also the families of OFWs who rely on financial support from abroad. “If they stop sending money, it’s not just the government that will feel the impact—it’s their families, too,” she added. OFW remittances are a crucial pillar of the Philippine economy. In 2024 alone, Filipinos abroad sent over $38.34 billion back home, accounting for 8.3 percent of the country’s GDP, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Despite the warning, Duterte’s supporters continue to stage global protests demanding his return to the Philippines. The former leader remains a polarizing figure, with critics arguing that his ICC trial is long overdue for human rights victims and supporters rejecting the charges against him as politically motivated close to the country's midterm elections in May. ICA/CAM/Expat Media