Wednesday, December 06, 2006 Talisaynon and family win outstanding OFW family award
THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) Regional Office 6 Monday named the Caayon Family in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, as this year's Model overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Family of the Year for the Visayas.
The Model Overseas Filipino Worker Family of the Year Award (Mofya) was attributed to the determination of OFW Melchor Caayon to overcome poverty and the good scholastic performance manifested by his four children in their respective schools.
Owwa Region 6 Officer-in-Charge Noel Chavez said that Caayon and his family were among other regional entries in the Visayas screened carefully.
Chavez said that Melchor, during his younger years, helped in delivering his parent's homemade "puto" to customers.
Melchor later worked as a "kargador" in Banago port in Bacolod City where his dream to become a seaman started.
Armed with his vocational courses and trainings acquired in the different government institutions, Melchor's first opportunity to be employed abroad was in an Arabian Company as an Industrial Electrician in 1991.
Two years later, he was employed in a shipping company as ship electrician of a luxury liner.
Now, the Caayon family operates their own taxi business, owns a house in a subdivision in Talisay City including two cars.
The Caayon family and the two other national champions representing Luzon and Mindanao received a house and lot, a trophy, a mobile phone, a personal computer set, P10,000 worth of Philam bond, P100,000 Philamlife Personal Accident Insurance for two family members and P5,000 worth of livelihood package, respectively.
Chavez said it was timely that the awarding ceremony was conducted when Melchor was still here in the country and so together with his family he personally received the award last November 29 in Manila.
The Mofya aims to recognize OFWs and families who have used the gains of working abroad to the best advantage.
It also recognizes the success of OFW families in terms of enterprise development and generation of employment opportunities as they optimize the gains of migration.
Families with either land-based or sea-based OFW as its head are those nominated to this annual award.
"This award is one way of showing our gratitude to our Filipino workers abroad who sacrificed a lot just to give their families back home a better life," Chavez said, adding "and also their significant contributions in sustaining the country's rosy economy." (PIA)
