IT is certainly heartening to know that Bahrain, a small Arab state consisting of 33 islands, plans to establish an embassy in the Philippines by the end of this year.

It will be recalled that the Philippines and Bahrain, where more than 56,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) now live, set up diplomatic ties way back in 1978.

Since then, the Bahraini Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations like the Philippines, has jurisdiction over our country.

In Bahrain, Arabic is the official language, but English is widely used in business and is a compulsory second language in schools across the archipelago.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the establishment of the embassy coincides with the 45th anniversary of the Philippine-Bahrain diplomatic relations.

Bahraini officials, led by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Consular and Administrative Affairs Mohamed All Bahzad, were in Manila from May 31 to June 3.

The visitors met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo to discuss the requirements, procedures and other relevant matters pertaining to the setting up of the embassy.

The Bahraini authorities also met with Foreign Service Institute (FSI) officials to discuss possible collaboration in training the two countries’ diplomats.

We support the view that Bahrain, which is situated in the Persian Gulf between oil-rich Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, is a migrant worker-friendly country.

More and more Filipino professionals, including women, are expected to look for jobs in said state with the reported plan of Bahrain to set up an embassy in the Philippines.

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