SOME 1,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Davao Region along with their families attended the 22nd Migrant Workers' Day yesterday, June 7, at the Kadayawan Hall, NCCC Mall Davao.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) Regional Director Eduardo Bellido, the Migrant Workers' Day celebration is an annual activity created under RA 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 with the objective of recognizing the efforts and endeavors of the OFWs and the outstanding scholarship grantees of Owwa.
"In one way or another, it's going to show the government's resolve in protecting and promoting the welfare of OFWs and their families," Bellido said.
During the event, there were one-stop shops intended for government agencies and private sectors providing basic services to participants including LandBank of the Philippines, Paramount Life & General Insurance Corp., Pag-ibig Fund, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Philippine National Police (PNP), which provided medical health and wellness services, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philhealth, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Social Security System (SSS), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
"We have training programs, there is DSWD. DTI is also there if the participants need information about setting up a business. In case, they need NBI Clearance, NBI is also here. Also those who want to renew their Pag-ibig, their Philhealth, services can also be availed here. All in one roof," he said.
Awardees
The husband-and-wife tandem of Fernando Alberto and Lorybeth Alberto were feted as the 2017 Most Outstanding OFW Entrepreneur in Davao Region. The couple is the owner of Kean's store, a grocery store in Caraga, Davao Oriental.
"Both of them were OFWs in Taiwan. They started with a small capital and then it grew and grew until it became a super store grocery. They were able to acquire properties because of that so they both decided to come back to the Philippines and they were able to save some. Because of their entrepreneurial spirit also, they succeeded and now their business continues to grow," Bellido said.
The 2017 Academic Excellence Award was given to Mark Alipio, a son of an OFW and a scholar of Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) by Owwa.
"This award was given to him for maintaining his scholarship standing, for being a consistent Dean's Lister. Alipio was one of the topnotchers of EDSP competitive examinations nationwide," he said.
Meanwhile, the 2017 Most Outstanding Family Circle was awarded to Tagum City Federation of OFWs and Beneficiaries for "promoting the welfare and well-being of its members through various socio-economic and capacity-building interventions".
"This award is given to Family Circles in the region based on their ability to establish their community enterprise, to empower its members through various training programs, and to touch base with government programs and services for the welfare of the members," Bellido.