PINAY DOMESTIC WORKER RISKED LIFE FOR HER EMPLOYER’S SON

The remains of OFW Juanita Agustin Limbago will arrive from Hongkong via PR 301 on June 21, Friday at 1:15 in the afternoon.  She was a victim of a vehicular mishap in Hongkong last June 10, Friday morning.

Juanita was crossing the road with her ward, a six year old boy, on their way to
school when a tour bus suddenly took a left turn and knocked them down, leaving them drawn under the bus. Without regards for her own safety, Juanita turned her back to the bus and used her arm to protect the boy.  Both were pinned down but the boy got out of the unfortunate incident with only slight wounds.  The bus driver was immediately arrested after the investigation.

The OWWA Hongkong Welfare Officer Necy Cataran immediately made the necessary arrangements with the OWWA Central Office for the repatriation to Manila of Juanita  Limbago’s remains.  Her husband Edwin was informed of his wife’s death and will be at the NAIA to receive her remains.

A Chinese newspaper carried the story of the Filipina worker’s heroic act published on June 11, Saturday.

Juanita was working in Hongkong barely three months prior to the accident.

The family of Juanita will receive as beneficiaries the death benefit amounting to
P200,000 and the P20,000 burial benefit from OWWA. -30- ASMD, OWWA

MORE FILIPINO NATIONALS ARRIVE FROM JEDDAH

Twenty seven Filipino nationals, 19 females and 8 minors, aboard Etihad Airways flight 424 will arrive from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at 3:40 in the afternoon today June 15, Wednesday. 

This batch of Filipinos was repatriated from Hajj Terminal in Jeddah.  The repatriation costs were shouldered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in lieu of reimbursement from employers and recruitment agencies as provided in RA 8042 as amended by RA 10022.

This was reported by OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon to Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz who directed the immediate and accelerated repatriation of the OFWs in distress.    

The OWWA repatriation team at NAIA provided assistance in clearing immigration and customs procedures. Provision of temporary shelter at the OWWA Halfway House and arrangements for transport back to their provinces will be given if needed. They will be given stress debriefing and counseling if necessary while at the OWWA.   Reintegration options will be presented to them.

                More workers from the Middle East are expected by the OWWA to arrive in the coming days. -30- ASMD, OWWA

OFW EXHIBITORS TO SHOWCASE PRODUCTS IN SMX

Twenty-one (21) OFWs and OFW Family Circles (OFCs) exhibitors will put up booths to showcase their products and services on the 1^ST National Congress of OFWs and Families on June 7 Tuesday at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

This occasion will house some of the nation’s best locally made products and the best forms of services offered in the country today. Regional exhibitors from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will proudly offer their items and services on this one-day event. 

The exhibitors are OFWs and OFW Family Circles who availed of the reintegration program and services offered by the OWWA. Most of them are OFW returnees and OFW dependents who seriously want to start their own business and augment their daily finances.

Like the OFW dependents of Mauban Quezon, they formed their OFC the Mauban OFW Federation with the idea of starting a business based on their knowledge of handicrafts using local raw materials. Their buri products are presently sold locally with the hopes of exporting in the future.  

CSM Philippines Inc. of Biňan, Laguna, is one OWWA-assisted business that is exporting internationally. Its finebone china ceramic wares have markets in the US, South Africa and some parts of Asia and Europe.

The OWWA is strengthening its reintegration program and have currently signed with the Landbank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines a 2 Billion Pesos OFW Reintegration Program to give better and more flexible loan assistance to OFWs.  

            The exhibit is open to the public from 10 AM – 5 PM. The 1^st National Congress of OFWs and Families is in celebration of the Migrant Workers Day. -30- OWWA

1ST NATIONAL CONGRESS OF OFWs AND FAMILIES

The DOLE and its attached agencies will be celebrating its 1^st NATIONAL CONGRESS OF OFWs AND FAMILIES on June 7^th, Tuesday at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.  This momentous event falls on Migrant Workers Day, the special day made for the Filipino overseas workers.

The National Congress of OFWs and Families aims to convene OFWs and families, and other stakeholders to draw up recommendations for program development and policy direction in fostering OFW sector development, and to develop a mechanism in the implementation of the billion peso reintegration program for enterprise development of OFWs. 

The event’s highlight will be the launching of the 2 BILLION PESOS REINTEGRATION PROGRAM. This is a joint venture of the DOLE, OWWA, Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines. The program offers different enterprises flexible and easy loan term payments for its OFW availees.  This is in support of the President’s desire to give sustainable businesses to the OFWs and their families.   

The event will also showcase exhibits of products and services of former OFWs and Overseas Filipino Circles (OFCs) who have previously availed of the reintegration programs and financial and technical assistances offered by the OWWA.

The event will also feature the presentation of the OFW Manifesto which underscores the needs and concerns of the OFWs and their families.   The Manifesto was drafted from the accumulated reports of the Regional Congress of the OWWA Regional Welfare Offices. 

The attendees of the event are the OFWs, their families, the OFCs, the social partners, the media and some distinguished guests. 

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration organized this event in celebration of the national Migrant Workers Day. ASMD, OWWA

MORE FILIPINOS REPATRIATED FROM SAUDI ARABIA

Eighty-two (82) Filipino men, women and children arrived from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia today via Etihad Airways 424 at 3:40 in the afternoon today, 17 May 2011.  This batch is part of the Filipino nationals repatriated from the Hajj Terminal.  The repatriation costs were shouldered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and OWWA.   A group of 10 women and 3 minors aboard another Etihad flight will arrive tonight from Jeddah.

Earlier, a group of 15 women and children arrived at 11:50 last night, 16 May, also from Jeddah aboard Brunei Airways Flight 689. 

The arrival of the repatriates was reported by OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon to Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz who has directed the accelerated repatriation of OFWs in distress. The OWWA repatriation team was at NAIA to provide assistance through immigration and customs formalities.  Many of those who arrived were provided temporary shelter at the OWWA Halfway House. Arrangements for transport back to their provinces are being made.  They were also given stress debriefing and counseling while at OWWA.   Reintegration options were likewise presented to them.

The OWWA expects more workers to arrive from Jeddah and other parts of the Middle East in the coming days. -30-ASMD, OWWA

OWWA SCHOLAR GRADUATED WITH FLYING COLORS

Four years ago, the grandmother of Raymond Burgess applied his grandson for the Education for Development Scholarships Program (EDSP) of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration while her daughter works abroad as a household service worker. Now, Raymond is about to start a career with a top IT company in the country after graduating Cum Laude from the University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology. Raymond is just among the many OWWA scholars who graduated with flying colors.

This was reported by OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon to Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment who has directed the promotion of Education and Training Benefits for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families.

“As the lead government agency tasked to promote the welfare and well-being of OFWs and their dependents, we congratulate Raymond and all our graduating scholars who make their parents proud as they work for their children’s future abroad”, said Administrator Dimzon.

Raymond who just graduated last March 26, 2011 is now working as a Technology Consultant in Hewlett Packard. He is the son of Jesusa Pantinople who works as a household service worker in the Cayman Islands.

“I thank OWWA for the scholarship that helped me finish college and also my mom who will always be my inspiration as I strive to reciprocate her sacrifices abroad to bring me where I am now”, said Raymond.

EDSP scholars of four-to-five-year baccalaureate courses are given a maximum of P60, 000 per year. Aside from EDSP, OWWA scholarships for OFW dependents include the Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program for vocational or technical courses; OFW Dependents Scholarship Program (ODSP) for needy but deserving students and the Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program.

Like Raymond, other OWWA graduates came from prestigious schools like UP, Ateneo, La Salle, UST, FEU, Mapua, Western Mindanao University and Siliman University to name a few.

“We, at OWWA, will remain committed to support our OFWs in their dream to provide the best education to their children”, added Administrator Dimzon.-30- Rey D. Tayag, OIC, ASMD, OWWA

OWWA PROVIDES INCOME GENERATING PROJECT FOR DISTRESSED OFWs IN KUWAIT

“Trash to Treasure”, this is the project initiated by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office for distressed OFWs at the “Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos Resource Centers or MWOOFRC” formerly called Filipino Workers Resource Centers (FWRC) in Kuwait while awaiting repatriation back to the country.

This was relayed by Miss Yolly Peñaranda, OWWA Welfare Officer in Kuwait, who accompanied the 104 repatriated OFWs all of them women when they arrived at the NAIA on Friday, March 18, 2011. These OFWs, mostly household service workers, left their employers due to unpaid salaries and work related concerns.

The project was reported by OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon to Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment who has directed to turn MWOOFRCs into centers of care and excellence.

“As part of our commitment to promote welfare and well-being of our OFWs, we provide them livelihood programs such as this Trash to Treasure project in cooperation with NGO’s and local community organizations abroad”, said Administrator Dimzon.

According to Kuwait Labor Attache’ Atty. Vivo Vidal and Welfare Officer Peñaranda, this “Trash to Treasure” Project came about through the help of Miss Cherryl Spessert, an American Coordinator of “Operation Hope”, an NGO for the Welfare of Overseas Workers.

“As they await their return to the country in our MWOOFRC they handcraft waste materials and turn them into useful items like rugs, floor mats, pot holders, fruit baskets and even clothes for pet dogs and cats. Through the Trash to Treasure Project, these products are marketed to Kuwaitis and other foreign nationals in Kuwait. In doing so, these distressed OFWs were still able to earn money even though they absconded from their employers”, said Welof Peñaranda.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa OWWA dahil bukod sa pag-aasikaso sa amin sa Bahay Kalinga, nabigyan pa kami ng pagkakakitaan na malaking tulong sa pagbalik namin ngayon sa aming pamilya”, said Charito Aguilar who worked as an OFW in Kuwait for 7 years.-30- Carmelita S. Dimzon, Administrator, OWWA