Migrant Workers’ Day celebration in Cordillera

MORE than six hundred (600) participants, which includes Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) including their family members/dependents, joins this year’s regional celebration of Migrant Workers’ Day, that was spearheaded by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA-CAR), in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-CAR) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA-CAR).

The celebration, which adopts the theme, “OFW, sa Sipag at Galing, Bilib Kami Sa’yo” and was held here Saturday, kicks-off with a motorcade around the city before the main program at the Episcopal Diocese of North Central Philippines (EDNCP) Hall and Grounds, along Magsaysay Avenue.

Before the program, a moment of silent and prayer was offered for the three OFWs that recently died in a fire incident on a Mall Complex in Doha Qatar. One of the fatalities, a certain Maribelle Orosco, was an OFW from San Quintin, Abra. Event participants also shared some contributions that would be sent to her family.

During the program, OWWA Regional Director Manuela Peña delivers the messages of OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzon and DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, while POEA Regional Director Delfina Camarillo and Department of Foreign Affairs Regional Director Edgar Canta, also delivers their own messages. Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan representative Atty Paul Bagano also joins the program.

Among the highlight of the activity, Peña, assisted by Camarillo and Canta, also spearheaded the awarding of DOLE’s National Reintegration Center for OFW (NRCO) Livelihood grant, worth P10,000 each, to 50 OFW returnees from various parts of the region.

Such livelihood assistance, is for qualified OFW returnees repatriated due to some cause, terminated from their work due to extraordinary and unforeseen events, finished their work contract abroad and decided to stay here in the country, as well as due to other exceptional cases involving the OFW.

Four beneficiaries were also granted P15,000 Livelihood Grant each, under OWWA’s Education and Livelihood Assistance Program (ELAP). Such program is designed primarily for survivors of the deceased OFWs who are active OWWA members and for the livelihood component it aims to provide assistance to the surviving family to start a business or expand their existing livelihood project.

A wife of a deceased OWWA-member OFW, who died in a car accident while at work abroad, also receives a death benefit of P200,000 and a burial assistance of P20,000.

In addition, Peña also spearheaded the awarding of completion certificates, to 80 OFW kids who joins and finished OWWA’s OFW Family Summer Computer/IT Training.

For the fun and entertainment part, intermission numbers/cultural presentation were provided by officials/members of the Baguio-Benguet Federation of OFW Returnees and Dependents (BBFORD), Cordillera Association of Migrant Workers’ in Korea (CAMWK) and Cordillera OWWA Balik-Pinay Association (COBPA).

Eight groups, composed of members of different OFW Family Circles also joined the Talent contests and On-the-spot Essay Writing contest, while raffle prizes were continuously being drawn in between the program.

While the program is on-going, a livelihood fair and service booths, including libreng-tawag (free-call) were also opened just outside the program hall. (CCD/PIA CAR)