Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards, Inc. (PEBA): A Prayer for OFWs

Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards, Inc. (PEBA): A Prayer for OFWs

Dear God,

You crossed every border between divinity and humanity to make your home with us. Bless our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who have travelled to foreign lands with faith in their heart leaving their families behind as they break through the barriers of people, cultures, and languages to escape oppression and poverty.

More ...

This is a joint call from the Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards, or PEBA, Inc, along with its 300+ KABLOGS, the RMN News Bantay OFW radio program and the Blas Ople Policy Center and we are asking for your prayers or support by reposting this to your blog, posting this link in your FB, Friendster and Twitter accounts or sending this as email to your networks.

“Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.” - Proverbs 14:22

2010 PEBA Awards Night experience

16 Dec 2010. Most awaited by those who know about PEBA in many different ways - as organizers, sponsors, finalists, supporters, families, friends. On the night itself, it was a long wait as it did not start at 6pm as announced. It started maybe more than an hour later? Could not really be sure now. We arrived before time (as announced to come before time for freebies?), but we had to wait for the reception desk to open. We were sweating because we walked from the Greenhills Elan Hotel which was just behind the venue.

Coming from Tandang Sora, it took us about an hour to get to Greenhills, passing through East Ave., EDSA and turning right into Annapolis St. Not bad considering the time, weather and the distance. It took us nearly the same time (or more) earlier in the day queueing for a taxi at Trinoma and going home to T. Sora. It was when we were in Annapolis St. that we really got stuck. Traffic was at a standstill and we were there just sitting in the taxi for nearly 30 minutes. And the taxi could not go straight to the hotel because from the area of the Promenade part, it is a one way street. So we had to get off farther than expected. I was with my Mom and a sister. After checking in at the hotel, we quickly walked across the road to get into the venue.

Finally we got to the venue but since we had to wait, we found some seats nearby, outside Starbucks. There we were exposed to so much smoke. Could not do anything about it. It's good we did not have to wait that long and finally we could register and go inside the theatre. The other members of my family (4 of them) came after a few minutes. We went inside the theatre and found our seats, and waited. Waited for a long time. My Mom was so sleepy, and hungry by that time. Some others also were hungry. If we knew it would not start yet, we could have gone out to eat. Also we could have used that time to bond and interact with other bloggers. But we were just stuck to our seats.

Well, sorry for rambling, but it could not be denied that there was excitement in the air. Especially with the organizers who were flitting here and there, looking so great in their suits and gowns ... Finally, the waiting was over. And PEBA Awards Night was ready to roll ... with live video streaming so it could be watched from all corners of the world where there are OFWs.

Finalists did not really have an idea what kind of award they would receive. We were requested to prepare a video or acceptance speech and send by email to the organizers. Nevertheless I had mine printed out minutes before we left home just in case. But I am also glad I did not have to use it...

My blog did not win any of the major blog awards, which I knew I wouldn't anyway, because my entry was not really 'makabagbag damdamin' or dramatic. However, I did receive one of the special awards, the Smart Pinoy Blog Award which was announced during the first part of the programme. So happy and thankful to Smart Pinoy and Nokia for this award. I think it is for the blog post I have written entitled How can Smart Pinoy keep your relationship with your loved ones more exciting.

All in all it's been a wonderful time joining this contest and hope to participate in other PEBA activities in the future, such as those advocacy and social action programmes they are organizing . It was also great to see most of the people whom we only interacted through the net; however, there was really not enough time to interact face to face. Some moments during the programme were so touching, and I am pretty sure a few, if not most, were teary eyed, from the time the National Anthem was played, the PEBA videos were shown  until the Mom of Animus (Top OFW Blogger) gave a brief speech.  Wish I could have stayed longer to chit chat but I was with my family so I had to be with them as we were all so hungry and thirsty so we rushed to go find some food.

Thanks to all who supported me during this period of the competition, reading, commenting, liking ... Congratulations to all the winners! Keep writing! Thanks to PEBA and all sponsors.

More on the PEBA Awards night can be found at the PEBA website and PEBA Facebook Page.

How can Smart Pinoy keep your relationship w/ your loved ones more exciting?

The worst thing that could happen to a Pinoy abroad is to be cut off from communication with loved ones. It will be like you are in a cave and it is very dark and you have no way out and there is no one to hear you. Can you imagine how it was many years ago? If I remember right, even just 15-20 years ago, before the information age, when communicating with loved ones was not that easy? When we had to wait for a couple of weeks or even more (depending on the reliability of the post office system in our country) to hear from them, and vice-versa? When we had to go to a phone booth at the city center, through an operator, to connect to our loved ones back home? And they also had to go to the city center to receive our call? Oh the trouble we had to go through to get connected. Added to that the concern and the worries of a few days when we had to wait for news about something urgent that we needed to relay to them or hear from them.

Well, those agonizing days vis-à-vis communications are over. In fact, things are getting better. With all the progress in information technology and the like, there is no limit to how we can communicate with our loved ones back home.  The opportunities are endless. And with communication leaders such as Smart Communications (through Smart Pinoy and international roaming services) and Nokia (through their wonderful handsets), each day is an exciting day of connecting with loved ones, friends, colleagues, and others beyond this circle.

How can Smart Pinoy keep our relationship with our loved ones more exciting?

Here are some of my suggestions:

    

1.     Continue with the affordable and easy way to connect with loved ones. If they can make it cheaper and easier, then the better. Sometimes it is because of the cost that prevents people from intimately communicating. There are just feelings and thoughts that need time to be communicated. But if you are worried about how much a call would cost you, then there will just be so many things left unsaid.

2.     Expand loading centers/points in different countries so those abroad will not run around looking for load, especially during emergencies. Some people do not have access or means to buy phone load online. Or even if they can access the internet, they do not have a credit card to use.

3.     Expand promos to those abroad – that will be fun to have some games with real prizes such as more load or free text/call if one has used the service within a certain period or amount.

4.     Regularly featuring outstanding or exemplary overseas pinoys with their families, for e.g. during Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas, birthdays, or some other special occasions.

5.     Encouraging children of OFWs to study harder by giving them scholarships, i.e. for every amount used, a certain amount is contributed to a scholarship fund.

6.     Photo contests based on themes and the winning entry can be featured in advertising or promoting better communication with loved ones or some other beneficial social values.

7.     Expand social networking (Like Smart Communications in Facebook) and provide some short inspirational messages so those reading will always remember to communicate with their loved ones.

These are just a few things that I think will help in making the relationship with our loved ones exciting through Smart Pinoy. I for one am using a Smart sim for roaming and it is working ok. My loved ones back home always send text to me as it just costs them 1 peso per text. It is very affordable. Except that now I only have one cell phone and I take turns to use it for my local sim and Smart sim. So I am looking for another one to be able to use my Smart sim all the time. Hope to get the Nokia 2220 so I can use it just for my Smart sim! 

It is also good to continue to support efforts of other organizations such as PEBA in strengthening families of Pinoy Expats/OFW so our society will become better and the quality of life of all Pinoys will be greatly improved.

Please read more about PEBA and like their facebook fanpage here - PEBA, Inc. then please Like my link over there. If you have already liked PEBA in FB, just click Like on my link. Just look for my posting on the PEBA wall. Thanks!!!!

a story so sad

He was an OFW. He got sick while on duty. He communicated with his family by phone, email, chat. He was in touch and yet he was so far. He said he missed them all. That it was so difficult to be alone and to be in pain. With no one by his side. He just entrusted everything to God. Until he was fit enough to go home to the Philippines. He had no one to take care of him. His colleagues helped him to move from place of work to the airport. He requested people around to help lift his bags for checking. He was still in pain as he traveled. One could just imagine how difficult it was to travel sick, be in pain, and knowing that one's condition was not getting any better. What kept him going was the fact that he would be with his family soon, close to them to touch, to hug, to hear their voice, to talk to, face to face. Then he arrived in the Philippines. He aged too much due to his sickness. His wife, children and the rest of the family saw how much his condition had deteriorated. He went straight to the hospital. His favourite song was Hawak Kamay, which he kept singing even while lying on his hospital bed. His loved ones were by his side at all times, until the last breath.

A story so sad to tell, but true. It pains all to hear about it. One could just cry, and be silent for a while. To acknowledge the sovereignty of the Creator, the Author and Finisher of our lives. That in the years spent on earth, we hope that our only desire is to be able to live to fulfill His purposes for us - to love those whom He sends to us, our family, friends, neighbours, the community. And that no matter where we are in this earth, we continue to uphold the values that we have learned from our parents, our school, our church. And even from our society (if any ...).

That we might be for the praise of His glory ...

Remembering Daddy, today and always

Got electronic reminders like the one below which we do not really need as we remember...always.

25^th August, Dad’s birthday. He would have turned 76 today. Now he is at rest, eternally with the Lord. Every time I think of him, which is almost everyday, I remind myself that he is at rest, at peace, no longer troubled by this world, no longer in pain. That he is now enjoying the blessings of eternal life with the Almighty God.

To honour his memory, and to continue his passion for education and helping others, we have established the Judge A.K. Nietes, Sr. Memorial Scholarship to provide financial assistance to high school students from Anini-y and Tobias Fornier towns of Antique Province, Philippines. Dad spent almost 15 years as the municipal judge of these two towns during the 70s till the mid-80s. He valued education and considered it as the main legacy a parent can provide to his children, or a community can provide to the youth. He loved reading, writing, crossword puzzles, music and sports, and advocated trusting in the Lord, which he considered helpful in developing the whole being of a person to become a useful member of society. In choosing students from these two towns, and a school from one of them, we hope that we can share and spread God’s blessings to those from remote areas oftentimes not reached by the support enjoyed by schools in the capital and main towns.

Through the assistance of our friends, Bernie and Fe Salcedo, Diclum National High School in Tobias Fornier was identified as the first school to benefit from this endeavor. DNHS caters to students from both towns mentioned above. The first batch of five poor but deserving high school students have already been chosen, out of ten applicants. They were requested to submit an essay focusing on reasons for going to high school, factors influencing their decision, how they are using use or improving their talents and interests, and the impact of being a high school student to their community.

Each applicant is qualified but there is only budget for five this year. The main purpose of helping out in our own small way is to help reduce the drop-out rates of students in high school. It is fortunate that tuition fee in public high school education in the Philippines is free. However students are burdened with day to day expenses as they travel to school, purchase school supplies, as well as meet the requirements of their subjects i.e. school projects.

We hope that through this effort we can instill in the youth the importance of education, encourage the recipients to keep going to pursue their dreams, that poverty is no hindrance to getting a good education and excelling in what one is doing, and that despite the difficult situation in our place and in their homes, they are still special. May they learn to always thank God for His blessings, now and in the future, when they achieve their dreams for a better life for their families and their communities.

We also hope many will follow this example, as we ourselves are also following the examples of those who have done this before us, especially those who are now abroad as OFWs or immigrants, or even those who are  still in the Philippines. Every one of them sees the need and lends a hand to help.

Will you?

Going abroad: for better and for worse?

All my bags are packed?

Lots have been said and written and discussed about Pinoys going abroad. As OFWs and as immigrants, and many other categories. Why do I specifically mention OFWs and immigrants? I have become conscious when to use each word when one time I went to visit one province in the Philippines. It was my first time there and I met one of the VIPs of that province. She said that they have a lot of people from there who have gone abroad, and some of them have come back to invest in some businesses like hotels, restaurants and the like. So I replied that it is good that the OFWs think of investing their hard-earned money. And she corrected me. She adamantly said, “No! They are not OFWs. They are immigrants!” She said it in a way that you would think an OFW was inferior to an immigrant. I did not know how to respond to it so I just let it be, and stored the information for use later. Such as now.

So whether a Pinoy goes abroad as an OFW or as an immigrant, the fact remains that he/she has gone abroad, has left the country, for better or for worse. Well I hope that it will be for the better, for both the one who left and the ones left behind. But we also know that there are worse things that do happen, if not to the one going abroad, then to the ones left behind in the Philippines. Eventually some OFWs decide to migrate and stay permanently in another country, and bring their families to stay with them. But there are countries that do not allow this, so the OFW remains in that country as a mere working person, with a renewable work permit, and remains there until retirement, unless he/she migrates to another country or goes back to the Philippines for good.   

We all know about the better stuff. Like a higher salary, better standard of living, better transport system, better environment, higher quality goods, better lifestyle. It gets much better if one can bring his/her own family and there are schools for their children, and the spouse could also work. But what about the worse things that happen to us when we are abroad, or to our loved ones left behind?

There are just so many we can think of, but only a few that can be written here. Being away from family, missing the growing up years of the children, missing the growing old years of our parents, not being there when loved ones need us most, missing memorable moments such as birthdays, graduations, weddings, and many other milestones in their lives. Worst yet is for children to be a bit aloof to parents who are abroad. Or for a loved one especially a parent to pass away without you by his/her side. It just hurts not to be there. Just because we are far away and could not leave the workplace immediately, or could not leave at all due to other circumstances.

Am I ready to go?

The foreign workplace itself can also be hell for some OFWs.

Some worse things happening in the homefront could include a son or a daughter who grows up spoiled and expects to have everything, growing up without responsibility, squandering everything thinking that dad or mom will be sending money soon anyway, the remaining spouse giving in to temptation in the absence of his/her spouse, being cheated by others esp. those who know there is a regular allotment of dollars, being blamed when things at home are not going so well. These could be signs that there is a need to spend time with the family for a while to talk things out.

And yet many are still going abroad. The hopes and dreams of a better life, for the whole family, drive everybody to keep going, despite the worse things that could be experienced while abroad.

So what do we do then to avoid all these pitfalls? One of the most helpful things is to always keep communicating with each other. It is much better now with all the high technology available, so better invest in a good program or equipment which can help in making family members feel you are just close to them, just a click or phone call away. Frequent communication with real time video and voice is the best. But for those less tech savvy esp with older parents, regularly calling them brings happiness and a feeling of worth to them, knowing that their daughter or son, despite miles and miles away, still remembers and loves them, much more than just sending money and material things. And never mind that sometimes they complain about each other or about a sibling or something, they are just making “lambing”.

Sending greetings cards and letters is also good to keep the relationship warm among loved ones. Remembering birthdays and anniversaries is important to us Pinoys.

For families with growing children, the house should be filled with photos of the loved one who is abroad. The children should be constantly reminded of him/her so that when he/she comes home, the kids would not feel strange and be aloof towards the returning parent. The children would just feel they know him/her personally. This really works!

It is good that there are employers who provide paid vacations for their expat employees. But what about those who are not fortunate enough to have this kind of employer? Then you really have to seriously save for that much awaited vacation. Even if it is just for a couple of weeks, it is still worth it. Be updated of some promotional offers to reduce the cost of traveling. Or maybe if it is possible, let your loved ones come over to visit you abroad. That will be a treat but it would cost a lot of money. So you just have to consider and balance your options and costs.

Spiritually, praying for each other and together really helps in making things better. Praying gives one an inner peace, knowing that God has heard your prayers and this gives you the peace and assurance that He is in control. At the end of the day, there are things that are just beyond us, and we can only entrust them to Him who knows all things and can do all things.

These are just a few of the things to help in making things better, instead of worse, when one goes abroad, and leaves family behind. Whatever happens, it is important to remember the happy memories that have been created together, and to keep building up on them, so family ties will remain strong. At the same time not losing sight of the hopes and dreams that drove one to go to another country, so he/she can help in making life better today and in the future, for the family and the whole community.

Walking hand in hand - growing together!

"Strengthening the OFW Families: Stronger Homes for a Stronger Nation."

 "Pagtibayin ang Pamilyang OFW: Mas Matibay na Tahanan Para sa Mas Matibay na Bayan" 

If you like this blog entry, please vote for Nominee #13 at

http://www.pinoyblogawards.com/p/vote-here.html

Visit PEBA website to read more entries. 

On voting as an OFW

Election time in the Philippines is approaching. The campaign period has already officially started. So what thoughts and feelings have we as an OFW regarding voting in absentia? Time to think hard who to vote for. But the question is, will my vote really count? My dad would always say that what matters is that you have exercised your right to vote, a right that was well fought by those who were before us. Especially so for women, as in the past women were not allowed to vote. I remember the year when I reached the age to register as a voter. It was one of the milestones of our lives in the family. And so we have to keep up with it. We do our responsibility and exercise our right, even if sometimes we know that we have no control over the political and electoral situation in each of our places. Our only hope is that the commission on election and all others involved in counting votes and the like will respect the votes and voices of the people who have cast their votes. So the right persons can be placed in the office as chosen by the majority. Let us make our choices based on the good principles, integrity, capability, leadership skills, all the good values. Let us not be star-struck by the glittering propaganda and emotional campaigning. Let's spend time to really think and decide. I have to do these things as well. Gotta start now.

Please read Desert Aquaforce's blog entitled OFWs Vote to Make a Difference for more insights.