A family for Filipinos here and abroad

Contributed by Jeffrey Mendoza, PIA – Bataan intern

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – There are more than 2 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) scattered around the world. They sacrificed living distantly from their families and try their luck abroad hoping to earn much reasonable salaries for their loved ones. In this generation they are called heroes or “makabagong bayani.”

Evidently, not everyone who courageously works as OFW succeed. Some workers were abused and were treated unfairly. Their impressive efforts are just incomparable and exceptional. Filipinos are known to be family-oriented and they go abroad out of love and need.

In the province of Bataan, there is a young yet strong organization that serves as a voice and cares for the welfare of OFWs and their dependents. It started as a small organization having only 500 members; now, they already have 1,200 members.

The OFW Family Circle Federation (OFC) initially served only five towns in Bataan but it now caters to the whole province. The organization is under the supervision of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), a membership institution under Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The organization president and its members are very thankful to OWWA, DOLE, Public Employment Service Office (PESO), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Provincial Government of Bataan for supporting their activities and understanding their mission. Information dissemination among its members regarding programs are easily cascaded through the help of the said agencies Currently they are preparing accreditation requirements for them to be part of the civil society and have a budget to be used for the needs of the organization.

OFC continues to do its best in order to raise funds as well as to make the federation bigger and stronger. The diligent OFC president Imelda Desales is positively hoping to have their office at the Provincial Capitol one day soon where they can hold meetings as well as receive and entertain OFW-related concerns.

Recently, OFC-Bataan held the first ever search for Mrs. OFW for a cause where Mrs. Jessica Ilar from Orion came off victorious while Mrs. Ma. Corazon Oconer of Abucay and Mrs. April Joy Atienza of Pilar won first and second respectively. Proceeds of the event went to the OFW abandoned families.

Last year’s tree planting in Orion which set a Guinness World Record for the “Most Trees Planted in one Hour by a Team of Unlimited Size in a Single Location” was also participated by the selfless OFC members. Upcoming activities such as Fun Run, Medical Mission and Family Day before the year ends were set by the board.

Ultimately, the organization is a big help in making one feel complete not just by the services and activities they initiate but more importantly the way they handle things, interact harmoniously to its members and treat everyone as if they are one family given the fact that these people do their duties voluntarily.