Dr. Paber is now into private practice in this city after serving for nine years as a physician together with his wife, a nurse, who served for six years, at Dammam Central Hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Owwa Regional Director Liddy Rasul-Tañedo said the search recognizes the achievements of OFWs and their families in managing the impact of overseas employment on family life.
“It is a strategic mechanism for exemplifying the best practices of OFW families towards optimizing the gains of migration,” Tañedo said.
Owwa is conducting the search together with its social partners in dedication to the sacrifices of Filipino migrant workers and their huge contribution to the country’s economy.
The Mofya search is now on its third year and the national awardees for Mindanao during the first and second year of the search were Dr. Anicia Alvarez and Engr. Kagim Jajurie in 2005 and 2006, respectively. They are both from this region.
Alvarez, a Zamboangueña, is the founder of Hansel and Gretel and Ferndale International School in this city while Jajurie is a technical adviser of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Bridge Program in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay Province.
Tañedo said in the national level, there are three Mofya awardees.
The national awardees are picked from the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao finalists.
As the regional Mofya awardees this year, Paber and his family will represent the region in the national search.
Tañedo said the Paber family is entitled to all the benefits and programs of Owwa, like scholarships, insurance, social assistance, and others aside from their prizes as this year’s regional awardees.
The other regional finalists are: Capt. Agapito Gil Jr. and family; Chief Engr. Jeremy Hong and family; Engr. Mario Jacobe and family; and Teodoro Sabate and family. (With Cheng Ordoñez)
