A PHYSICIAN-couple, who were formerly Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from Pagadian City, and a still active seafarer from Zamboanga City have been chosen to represent Zamboanga Peninsula into the National Search for Model OFW Family Award (Mofya) 2009 for Land-based and Sea-based categories, respectively.

This was announced by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) Director Angeles C. Engalla, Officer-in-Charge, Regional Welfare Office in Western Mindanao.

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Mofya is an annual search conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), through the Owwa offices in the regions, where two Mofya winners -- one Land-based (LB) and one Sea-based (SB) -- are being chosen.

At least, two national winners (one LB and one SB) will be declared winners by November with the top winners bagging more than half a million pesos in cash and in kind, according to Engalla, who is also the vice chair of the Regional Screening and Selection Committee (RSSC) in the region.

Director Engalla said two Special Awards for Outstanding Achievement for Community Project and Entrepreneurship are also being awarded along with the major categories.

Regional Awardees

This year’s winner in the Regional Level for Land-based is Dr. Benjamin Q. Amoroso and family of San Jose District, Pagadian City.

Dr. Amoroso worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for eight years as resident physician, together with his wife, Sally, also a resident doctor in the same hospital.

The Amorosos earned prestige by having five of their six children becoming professionals. Of which, three are nurses, one still in medical school after taking up nursing, and one engaged in the family business. The youngest is still in High School.

The family owns the New Roxan Hotel and Restaurant in Pagadian City, which was established from earnings abroad.

They are now 24 years in the hotel business with a total of 45 employees.

The family also owns and manages Amoroso Real Estate Lessor/Firm and the Amoroso Skin and Facial Clinic in Pagadian City with branches in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Dumaguete City.

For the Sea-based Category, the Regional Awardee is Capt. Agapito M. Gil Jr., 53 years old, married to Rubilyn Modelo, and a resident of Gov. Ramos in Zamboanga City.

Captain Gil has worked for 24 years as Master Mariner.

He and his family were nominated by Captain Arturo F. Varela, Director and General Manager of Phoenix Maritime Corporation.

Captain Gil Jr. is considered as a “self-made man” whose career started 24 years ago when his children were only two years old and three months old.

He was named “Most Outstanding Captain Navigating in Panama River” in Belem, Brazil, in 2008.

Gil is a former Port Captain and Current Master Mariner of Phoenix Maritime Corporation.

His wife finished M.A. in Public Administration and former planning officer of a government agency. She currently manages the family’s farm and small-scale fishing business.

Other contenders where nominated by distinguished individuals, organizations or companies.

For Land-based, they are Hatta B. Ali, 42 years old, single and head of the family, with 15 siblings, and a resident of Putik, Zamboanga City.

Ali was the lead vocalist of Shahata Band for 19 years in Bahrain and Dubai. As OFW performer of the band, he was the breadwinner of 15 siblings and was also nominated as Outstanding OFW Awardee during the Araw ng Pasasalamat 2009.

Another contender was Nelson B. Rivas, 56 years old, and married to Mirza Mandi, who are residents of Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay. They have four children.

Rivas worked for eight years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and in Taiwan as electrician and technician.

The Rivas family was nominated by the Local Government Unit of Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay province.

Another nominee for the Land-Based was Engr. Arnold R. Gavenia and family.

Engr. Gavenia, 44, is married to Juvy Lacar and resides in Jamisola St. Sta. Lucia, Pagadian City. They have four kids.

He is a city councilor of Pagadian.

Councilor Gavenia worked as technician and production staff for five years in KSA and Taiwan. He and his family were nominated into the search by the Federation of Tricycle Drivers and Operators of Pagadian City.

Dapitan City Mayor Dominador Jalosjos Jr. nominated two Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFWs) families from his city into the annual Mofya search.

Mayor Jalosjos nominated from the flock of OFW families residing in Dapitan City Engr. Austino R. Saldon Jr. and family for Land-Based Category and Engr. Feliciano J. Nagac III and family for the Sea-Based Category.

Saldon, 48 years old, is from Bagting village, Dapitan. Married to Anabelle Empeynado, also an OFW, working as a nurse in Abu Dhabi, the couple has four children.

The Saldon couple has been working abroad for seven years now.

All of their four children are still studying. Two are in college (2nd and 1st Year Nursing) and two are in High School.

The family also maintains an eight-hectare of coconut farm.

They’re both being an active OFW (still working abroad) -- Saldon as an engineer employed by Exceed ASW in Abu Dhabi and his wife a nurse in Saudi Arabia -- prevented the couple from submitting all the requirements to the Mofya search, thus, rendering them incomplete in their portfolio and losing by default to other contenders to the search.

Engr. Nagac III, 54 years old, is married to Cherry Moris, and resides with his family in Noli Me Tangere St. Dapitan City. The couple bears five children.

Engr. Nagac’s working years abroad is 26. He worked as mechanical engineer in the United States of America.

The other Sea-Based Category contender was Capt. Alfredo G. Sy, 58 years old, and married to Luz Lagutin, residents of Sta. Filomena in Dipolog City.

The couple has four children. Capt. Sy has been working for 16 years in Tokyo, Japan, as Port Captain.

The Sy family was nominated by Grand Knight Rogelio U. Borinaga of the Knights of Columbus.

His wife, Luz, is Doctor of Education and Dean of the College of Education at the Jose Rizal Memorial State College.

Nomination Standard

The Family nominated must be headed by an OFW – Land-based or Sea-based (active or inactive; married or single), with at least four years of work experience as an OFW; known as a solid and stable family in the locality; and financially stable.

Previous Mofya Nominees who have not won at the regional level can be nominated again.

Relatives of officials and employees of Owwa, the Dole and its attached agencies and the corporate sponsors of Mofya up to the 3rd degree of consanguinity and affinity are disqualified from joining.

Selection Criteria

Criteria for judging are as follows: Wholesome OFW Family - 50 percent; Civic/community involvement of OFW - 20 percent; Success in OFW and/or family member/s’ education or profession - 20 percent; Success in managing family finances - 10 percent.

The RSSC in Zamboanga Peninsula region is composed of Dole IX Dir. Ponciano M. Ligutom, chairman; Angeles C. Engalla, OIC, Owwa RWO 9, vice chairperson; OFW Sector Representative Ladjakaya Abubakar, president of the Federation of OFW Family Circles (OFCs) in Region IX; corporate sponsors representatives Glenda R. Atilano, Wilfredo L. Sarau, Ignacio T. Wee Jr., along with NGO/Faith-based organizations representatives Sr. Aurora Falcasantos of Silsilah Peace Dialogue Movement and Bro. Rashid C. Reyes of the Zamboanga Islamic Library Dawah Foundation.

At least 17 regional winners for each category will be competing in the national level.

The national screening is set on September 13 – 21, 2009, while the final selection process is on November 11.

The National Awarding is slated on November 14, 2009.