By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Often hailed as the nation’s ‘new heroes’, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are praised for their immeasurable sacrifices, spending months or years away from their families and rendering their knowledge, skills, and expertise in foreign lands to make ends meet.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. speaks highly of the OFWs, and has continued to reaffirm the government’s support for the country’s migrant workers.
Among the fruits of his administration’s efforts to address their needs is the first OFW Global Center in Hong Kong, which was formally opened by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Sunday, June 8.
The Center serves as a one-stop shop for OFWs where they can easily process their documents, request financial, medical, legal assistance, and avail of free training and as a venue for seminars, or just a venue for rest while having unlimited coffee at the Migrant’s Brew.
“Kapag mayroong OFW sa panahon [ng kagipitan], o kailangan ng tulong, ang utos ng Pangulo ay tulungan ang OFW at di lamang ang OFW, [kundi] kumustahin [din] ang kanilang pamilya,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.
“Hindi nasasayang ang bawat luha para sa tagumpay ninyo sa taong-bayan, kaya’t kami sa pamahalaan ay lalaban para sa inyo; para sa inyong karapatan, para sa inyong kinabukasan, at sa kinabukasan ng inyong pamilya. Let this Center be a symbol of our commitment to serve not just in words but in action, ang pangarap ninyong mabigyan ng hanapbuhay ang inyong pamilya, haharapin natin yan.” House Speaker Martin Romualdez said in his keynote speech.
Also present at the event were Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez, HK-Philippine Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr., and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, along with 400 OFWs and leaders, partner agencies, and various stakeholders.
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