OFW News

Saudi labor ministry: 'Saudization' policy a failure

2011-12-11T11:36:00.001+08:00

December 10, 2011 12:52pm Saudi Arabia’s “Saudization" policy, which seeks to prioritize the hiring of Saudi nationals over expatriates, has so far been a failure, according to the country’s ministry of labor.In an article on Dubai-based news site Emirates 24/7, Saudi Arabia’s labor ministry said 50 percent of private companies were still not complying with the plan, despite the Saudi

Outstanding overseas Filipino workers get Bagong Bayani awards

2011-12-02T05:44:00.001+08:00

By Norman Bordadora Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:11 am | Friday, December 2nd, 2011 An educator, who helped bring to Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries the professional board examinations for mechanical engineers, received the highest award for an overseas Filipino worker at ceremonies Thursday in Malacañang. President Benigno Aquino III led the awarding rites for the

Don’t be too eager to offload OFWs, recruiters urge immigration men

2011-11-26T11:31:00.001+08:00

By Jerome Aning Philippine Daily Inquirer 7:10 am | Saturday, November 26th, 2011 MANILA, Philippines—Immigration agents at the country’s international airports should not just offload Filipino workers holding overseas employment certificates (OECs) on the mere suspicion that these are fake, leaders of recruitment groups said on Friday. The recruiters said this Friday at a

OFWs come home for high paying jobs

2011-11-26T09:37:00.001+08:00

Agence France-Presse 7:14 am | Friday, November 25th, 2011 MANILA, Philippines—While many continue to seek greener pastures abroad, some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are going against the tide to take up job offers at home. One such OFW is Malaysia-based computer whiz Arlene Teodoro who packed his bags and flew home to the Philippines this year. Forced to leave his family and

OWWA reps fail to remit P21 M in overseas collections—COA

2011-11-24T14:39:00.001+08:00

Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:55 pm | Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 MANILA, Philippines—Officials of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration assigned abroad have failed to remit over P21 million in overseas collections to the Manila account of the OWWA, putting these funds at risk of misappropriation, according to the Commission on Audit. The COA, in its 2010 OWWA report,

‘My OFW husband came home a different man’

2011-11-21T06:44:00.001+08:00

By Susan K Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:20 am | Sunday, November 20th, 2011 Vicky’s story began like those of many wives whose husbands leave to seek jobs overseas—full of hope for a better future. “I used to hear bells ringing in my ears every time I heard the name of the place—Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I can’t explain the joy I felt every time I received a letter. I

Loida Nicolas Lewis gets Eleanor Roosevelt legacy award

2011-11-20T19:38:00.001+08:00

Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:30 am | Sunday, November 20th, 201 LOIDA NICOLAS LEWIS (left) flanked by US Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney and Senator for New York, Charles Schumer, is the first Filipino-American to get the award. CARISSA VILLAC Filipino-American businesswoman and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis was awarded the Trailblazer of Democracy Award by The Eleanor’s

Rural banks eye OFW remittances via BSP’s PhilPaSS

2011-11-16T06:49:00.001+08:00

11/15/2011 | 07:13 PM Rural bankers see an opportunity to be competitive in the money transfer business, which they intend to maximize by joining the Philippine Payments and Settlements System (PhilPaSS) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. “While remittance centers are a dime a dozen, there is still a way for us rural bankers to enter the industry by offering a faster yet affordable

1 out of 10 OFWs financially broke: study

2011-11-11T20:21:00.001+08:00

by Macel Ingles, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau Posted at 11/11/2011 10:43 AM | Updated as of 11/11/2011 12:37 PM OSLO - A microfinance non-governmental organization in the Philippines revealed in a study that one out of 10 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) ends up broke even after years of working abroad to provide a better life for their families. The study made by the Social Enterprise

POEA to review ban on OFW deployment

2011-11-07T10:44:00.000+08:00

By Jerome Aning Philippine Daily Inquirer 2:45 am | Monday, November 7th, 2011 Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will study a proposal by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to defer enforcement of a ban on the deployment of Filipinos to 41 countries deemed as not

Migration promotes cultural and religious harmony

2011-11-06T15:45:00.001+08:00

By Susan K Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:03 am | Sunday, November 6th, 2011 The 7th Interfaith Dialogue of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM-IFD7) was held last Oct. 13-14 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila with the theme “Harnessing the Benefits and Addressing the Challenges of Migration through Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue.” It ended with the issuance of The Manila

Interests of OFWs paramount, says bishop

2011-11-06T10:29:00.002+08:00

By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:33 am | Sunday, November 6th, 2011 Batangas Archbishop Ramon Arguelles. Photo taken from http://sois.census.gov.ph A ranking Catholic prelate on Saturday urged the government to implement the deployment ban on 41 countries found to be lacking in protection for overseas

PNoy's ultimate goal: Bring OFWs back to PH

2011-11-04T20:21:00.001+08:00

by Maria Aleta Nishimori, abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 11/04/2011 6:44 PM | Updated as of 11/04/2011 6:44 PM MANILA, Philippines – The Aquino government is finding ways to bring back overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and encourage potential ones to stay in the country. “That is the ultimate goal--that we have 10 million OFWs and we want them to be back here and the way to be able

DTI, DOLE tie up in training OFWs become entrepreneurs

2011-11-03T13:51:00.001+08:00

By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star) Updated August 01, 2011 12:00 AM MANILA, MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) are collaborating in training overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to become entrepreneurs which will hopefully help strengthen the Philippines’ exporting

Shipping ‘balikbayan’ boxes

2011-11-03T12:02:00.000+08:00

Wednesday, 02 November 2011 20:33 The Business Consumers / konsyumeratbp@gmail.com It’s this time of the year that Filipinos around the world send parcels and packages to their loved ones to and from the Philippines and other countries. Filipinos are known to have the longest Christmas

PH urged to bolster ties with Saudi

2011-11-02T13:36:00.000+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 11/02/2011 10:06 AM | Updated as of 11/02/2011 11:37 AM MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines needs to reinvigorate bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia to maintain its edge over other labor-sending countries. “At a time when all of these reforms in Saudi Arabia are taking place, we need a more vibrant economic diplomacy to maintain our competitive advantage over

OAV registration starts November 2

2011-11-02T13:32:00.000+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 11/02/2011 11:31 AM | Updated as of 11/02/2011 11:31 AM MANILA, Philippines – The registration for overseas absentee voters will begin on November 2 in different Philippine posts overseas, in preparation for the 2013 Senatorial and Partylist elections in the Philippines. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) originally scheduled the registration period on

List of 'OFW-friendly' countries bared

2011-11-02T13:28:00.000+08:00

By Estrella Torres, BusinessMirror Posted at 11/02/2011 7:19 AM | Updated as of 11/02/2011 11:01 AM MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) issued the list of 125 countries where Filipino workers can be deployed and 41 countries where sending of workers will have to be reconsidered owing to their failure to adopt domestic laws that protect

EDITORIAL - Protecting OFWs

2011-11-02T10:50:00.003+08:00

(The Philippine Star) Updated November 02, 2011 12:00 AM The government is correct in its efforts to stop

Recruiters hit OFW offloading at Philippine airports

2011-11-02T09:30:00.000+08:00

By Jerome Aning Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:07 am | Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011 The frequent offloading at the country’s airports of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) suspected of being undocumented recruits or trafficking victims is turning off foreign employers to the point that they have stopped hiring Filipinos and have turned to other countries for their labor needs,

Saudi capping foreign workers’ remittances

2011-10-26T16:34:00.003+08:00

Posted by Online on Oct 26th, 2011 Manila, Philippines – The Saudi Arabian Labor Ministry is poised to put a ceiling on remittances by foreign migrant workers to protect the economy of the oil-rich kingdom. According to reports, Labor Minister Adel Fakieh disclosed early this week the plan to introduce a so-called “salary protection” program. Under the new program, expatriate workers must

Why a department for OFW’s

2011-10-26T16:26:00.000+08:00

Posted by Online on Oct 26th, 2011 MANILA, Philippines — Last month, the remains of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) arrived in Manila and official reports declared her death a year ago in Saudi Arabia as a suicide. But, when the body was embalmed, the family learned that some of her internal organs were missing. In March of this year, three OFWs were executed in China for drug smuggling.

Ex-OFW cuts a sure path to success

2011-10-15T12:05:00.000+08:00

By GoNegosyo (philstar.com) Updated October 11, 2011 05:02 PM

Seaman gives up the ocean for the farm

2011-10-15T11:57:00.001+08:00

By GoNegosyo (philstar.com) Updated October 04, 2011 02:34 PM By 2006, Ananias Cuñado was earning from the full potential of his farm and there was no

Ex-OFW wins big fight vs big C

2011-10-15T11:47:00.001+08:00

By GoNegosyo (philstar.com) Updated September 28, 2011 04:23 PM Mang

Aquino government enhances entrepreneurial skills of OFWs under P2 billion reintegration program

2011-10-14T12:22:00.000+08:00

2011-10-12 President Benigno S. Aquino III said his administration is focusing on enhancing the entrepreneurial skills of overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs) as well as their educational abilities to entice them to stay in the country through the government is P2-billion reintegration program. “The state would have to be really focused on those who have the least in our society.

'OFWs are not ATMs'

2011-10-03T06:33:00.000+08:00

by Maria Aleta Nishimori, www.abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 10/01/2011 1:17 PM | Updated as of 10/01/2011 1:17 PM MANILA, Philippines – Papias Banados has been an overseas Filipino worker for 16 years now. The 39-year old OFW count herself lucky as she is able to translate her years of hard work into worthwhile investments. “Mayroon na din akong naipundar. May farm ako

‘Balikbayans’ told: Go beyond song and dance

2011-10-02T21:04:00.000+08:00

By Jerry E. Esplanada Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:39 am | Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 The more than 8.5 million overseas Filipinos scattered all over the globe should be proud of themselves for being a “positive force,” if not “masters of the universe,” in their host countries, according to balikbayan philanthropist, civic leader and lawyer Loida Nicolas-Lewis. “We are good

Former OFW finds his niche as techno-preneur

2011-10-02T20:46:00.001+08:00

By Myrna Rodriguez Co Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:09 am | Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially those working as engineers, technicians and skilled workers, are among the best candidates for entrepreneurship of the innovative type. In the first place, OFWs manifest their enterprising, risk-taking and hardworking ways by the very act of leaving the

Internet voting for overseas Filipinos?

2011-09-26T18:10:00.000+08:00

By RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News Posted at 09/26/2011 4:07 PM | Updated as of 09/26/2011 4:07 PM Congressmen mull changes to law to increase absentee voter turnout MANILA, Philippines - Filipino expatriates from the United States, Australia and Jordan have apparently scored a key point in removing a legal impediment blamed for the low turnout in overseas absentee voting. The Joint

Pinoy students in UK warn vs PH consultancy firms

2011-09-24T10:32:00.003+08:00

by Rose Eclarinal, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau Posted at 09/22/2011 2:54 PM | Updated as of 09/23/2011 4:27 PM BIRMINGHAM, England - A surge in the number of students arriving in Birmingham has alarmed Filipino community groups in the city. Students started to arrive in the first quarter of 2011, some in groups of 10 to 15 students. All of them came to the UK to seek the proverbial

Filipino maid jailed in Saudi over dirty underwear

2011-09-18T10:39:00.001+08:00

By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:59 pm | Saturday, September 17th, 2011 MANILA, Philippines—For allegedly stealing the unwashed underwear of her employer’s mother, a Filipina domestic helper was sentenced to up to one year in prison in Saudi Arabia, a migrant rights group said Saturday. Migrante International called on the Philippine government to work for the

Filipino is British hospitals’ Nurse of the Year

2011-09-18T10:36:00.001+08:00

By Madonna Virola Inquirer Southern Luzon 12:30 am | Sunday, September 18th, 2011 The Philippine embassy cites Medran as a good example for OFWs. CALAPAN—A Filipino from this Oriental Mindoro city was named Nurse of the Year during the 2011 Star Awards of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH). Teodoro “Junjun” Medran Jr., 38, a clinical charge nurse at the

Certified as fit to work, OFW is sent back for medical reasons

2011-09-18T10:25:00.000+08:00

Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:20 am | Sunday, September 18th, 2011 The Qatar Medical Commission required Angelito Cabillon to undergo a new health assessment to get his Pataka (labor card). After one month and two weeks as a barista, Qatar Immigration ordered Cabillon to leave the country within 48 hours because he was found to have a scar in his lung. But Cabillon, who applied

Jail or suicide: Caught in debt trap, some Pinoys make tough choices

2011-09-17T09:37:00.002+08:00

09/16/2011 | 11:00 AM In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), many expatriates, including Filipinos, who are caught in a "debt trap" are forced to make a tough choice between jail and suicide, the news site Khaleej Times said on Friday. According to Khaleej Times, "Caught in the whirlpool of recession, job and business losses, and mounting loan and credit card payments, many expatriates come to

Pinoys bound for Bangkok face strict screening

2011-09-15T08:49:00.000+08:00

By Helen Flores The Philippine Star Updated September 12, 2011 12:00 AM MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration has tightened the screening of passengers bound for Bangkok following reports that the Thai capital is being used as transit point of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) going to countries covered by the government deployment ban, officials said yesterday. BI Commissioner

Filipinos in UAE caught in credit card trap

2011-09-10T21:19:00.000+08:00

Philippine Daily Inquirer 2:04 am | Monday, August 22nd, 2011 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates—Before she arrived in this mecca of migrant labor at age 48, Evelyn Naces, a Filipino nurse, had never owned a credit card. Soon she had 14 credit cards—and like thousands of other foreign workers here, a trip to debtors’ prison. The Philippine Embassy held a financial literacy program in

WikiLeaks: US sees Filipino migrant workers as social 'safety valve'

2011-09-02T15:18:00.000+08:00

by Jojo Malig, abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 08/30/2011 10:11 PM | Updated as of 08/31/2011 12:39 PM Millions of Filipinos have left the country to find better-paying jobs abroad. MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines would be a boiling cauldron of poverty and social unrest if it were not for the millions of Filipinos heading overseas to work in higher-paying jobs, according to a US

Pinoys in a globalized world

2011-08-21T09:44:00.000+08:00

Thursday, August 18. 2011 The crucial question is who are we as a people? From my personal experiences I note three prominent characteristics that are typically Pinoy. The first one is the strong family and clan “connectedness”. Pinoys may find themselves in the remotest part of any continent or in the middle of the ocean; they may live in foreign lands for years and

How overseas Filipinos can win the battle against unbearable utang

2011-08-18T23:13:00.000+08:00

KuwentoBy Benjamin Pimentel 8:17 pm | Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 SAN FRANCISCO —Tony Ranque worked for years in Saudi Arabia where he faced a dilemma other overseas Filipinos have probably encountered: The longer he worked abroad, the bigger his debt grew. “Imagine the worst situation, when my credit cards, all five of them, were used up to their maximum credit limits,” he told me.

Utang in America and beyond: Who’s mayabang, FilAms or OFWs?

2011-08-14T12:19:00.000+08:00

Kuwento By Benjamin Pimentel 3:19 pm | Saturday, August 13th, 2011 SAN FRANCISCO—My column on indebtedness and U.S. Filipinos prompted this blunt assertion from a reader based in Saudi Arabia. “OFW’s are not mayabang, unlike FilAms who portray themselves as mayaman, but in fact, they are rich in debt and cursed to debt to sustain their rich-like lifestyle.” A range of responses

Saudi

2011-07-22T12:18:00.000+08:00

Pinoy Kasi By: Michael L. Tan Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:53 am | Wednesday, July 20th, 2011There was a time when “Saudi” became a verb in the Philippines, as in “mag Saudi,” meaning to work overseas. During the 1970s, when government made it an official policy to export Filipino workers, the main target was Saudi Arabia. Over the years, the destinations have become much more

An answer to ‘Saudization’

2011-07-12T13:51:00.000+08:00

At Large By: Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:02 am | Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 In truth we have had more than 30 years to “prepare” for the avalanche of bad news emanating from the Middle East (specifically Saudi Arabia) and Northern Africa (specifically Libya). The bad news trickled first from Libya, where escalating conflict between local rebels and Nato forces and

Baldoz twits Migrante over ‘false report’

2011-07-12T13:19:00.000+08:00

By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:48 am | Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 MANILA, Philippines—Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz on Monday disputed the claim of the migrant workers group Migrante International that Saudi Arabia immigration officials were starting to stamp “exit only” on passports of vacationing overseas Filipino workers because of the kingdom’s “

OFW's book tells the untold stories behind remittances

2011-07-10T17:13:00.007+08:00

09-Jul-11, 9:32 AM | Emmalyn L. Kotte, special to InterAksyon.com BONN, Germany - “The media should not always talk about how much remittance we send home. They must look at the sufferings we have to go through to send money back, how people exploit us both in the Philippines and overseas while our government is not doing enough to stop this.” This was Papias Banados’ message to

Wake up call for OFWs in Saudi Arabia

2011-07-10T16:57:00.000+08:00

By Casiano Mayor Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:53 pm | Saturday, July 9th, 2011 SAUDI FOREVER? Talk among overseas Filipino workers is turning to the possible effects of the Saudization program on them. Photo of Pinoys hanging out at the Balad mall in Jeddah by John Pamintuan JEDDAH—The Saudi government’s announcement that it would hasten its program to replace expat workers

Saudi domestics ban is a blessing

2011-07-10T16:42:00.000+08:00

By Susan K Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:49 pm | Saturday, July 9th, 2011 The Saudi government’s decision to halt the deployment of Filipino domestic workers is a blessing. “No to Saudi” especially for women, has been the stand of Bantay OCW for the past 14 years. We have repeatedly appealed to the government to make it a state policy, not to allow women to work as domestic

Visa, UnionBank tie up for money transfer business

2011-06-13T16:31:00.000+08:00

Philippine Daily Inquirer 1:09 am | Friday, June 10th, 2011 Global credit card company Visa Inc. has entered the local remittance market with the launch of a new service that allows Filipinos in the Middle East to send money directly to their loved ones’ credit cards in the country. In a briefing earlier this week, the company announced its new partnership with UnionBank of the

DOLE to hold first congress on OFWs

2011-06-07T07:40:00.000+08:00

By OWWA Home Updated June 03, 2011 11:12 AM The Dept. of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and its attached agencies will be celebrating its 1st NATIONAL CONGRESS OF OFWs AND FAMILIES on June 7, Tuesday at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City. This momentous event falls on Migrant Workers Day, the special day made for the Filipino overseas workers. The National Congress of OFWs and

State agencies ink deal to help OFWs

2011-06-07T07:37:00.000+08:00

Executive officers of Landbank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippine with DOLE Usec. Danilo P. Cruz and OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon on the signing of the 2 Billion Pesos Reintegration Program MOU signing- by OWWA Home Updated June 03, 2011 11:23 AM The 2 Billion Pesos OFWs (Overseas Filipino

Is it really poverty that drives Filipinos overseas?

2011-06-06T17:36:00.000+08:00

By Susan K Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:49 am | Sunday, June 5th, 2011 Are overseas Filipino workers (OFW) being driven out of the country by poverty? Or is it just the latest opportunity and trend? Over the years, poverty has been the common reason cited for the exodus of Filipinos out of the country: to “find work and sustain their

Myths about OFWs

2011-05-12T19:00:00.000+08:00

By Rigoberto D. Tiglao Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 22:13:00 05/11/2011 THERE IS just too much bleeding-heart sentimentalization over overseas Filipino workers, bordering on ridiculousness. They have been practically mythologized, in a manner they themselves would detest. Yes, there are horror stories—runaways from cruel employers with no one to turn to in a strange land, young

Financial literacy program for OFW families crucial

2011-05-04T20:41:00.000+08:00

Posted on May 03, 2011 08:41:01 PM A COMPREHENSIVE financial literacy program for families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is needed as numerous money transfer agencies and informal channels hinder savings and investments in productive activities, experts said at a forum yesterday. “Informal channels and money transfer agencies (MTAs) decrease overseas

PH, Saudi Arabia sign pact on maids today

2011-04-30T20:29:00.000+08:00

By Philip Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 09:11:00 04/29/2011 MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine and Saudi Arabian governments are expected to sign on Friday an agreement that would lead to the lifting of the Middle Eastern kingdom’s deployment ban on Filipino maids, a recruitment industry consultant said Thursday. Emmanuel Geslani said the two parties were set to

'95% of Filipinos working in Syria illegal'

2011-04-30T19:41:00.000+08:00

By Philip Tubeza in Manila/Philippine Daily Inquirer | ANN – Thu, Apr 28, 2011 4:20 PM MYT As the unrest in Syria worsened, Philippine Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz revealed that only a fraction of the 17,000 Filipinos working in the troubled Middle Eastern country are documented workers. Baldoz said Overseas Workers Welfare Administration records showed that there were only 837 active

School turns ex-OFWs’ wounds into wisdom

2011-04-29T10:44:00.000+08:00

By Tarra Quismundo Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 05:27:00 04/29/2011 MANILA, Philippines—Feeling helpless and exhausted working 22-hour days as a housemaid in Singapore, she was beginning to entertain thoughts of taking her own life. That was less than a year ago. Now, Myra Grafil is back home and constantly smiling. She’s a fresh graduate of a certificate course that has given

'Brain gain' program for returning OFWs developed

2011-04-28T20:32:00.000+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.comPosted at 04/28/2011 3:52 PM | Updated as of 04/28/2011 6:38 PM MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will initiate a multi-sectoral brain-gain program to further improve the skills and provide entrepreneurship opportunities for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). "The initiative is the DOLE's response to the brain-drain

95% of Filipinos working in Syria illegal—Baldoz

2011-04-28T09:45:00.000+08:00

By Philip Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 06:01:00 04/28/2011 MANILA, Philippines—How do you rescue those who are hiding in the first place? As the unrest in Syria worsened, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz Wednesday revealed that only a fraction of the 17,000 Filipinos working in the troubled Middle Eastern country are documented workers. Baldoz said Overseas Workers

BBFI launches search for 2011 Bagong Bayani Awardees

2011-04-27T11:14:00.000+08:00

Home Updated April 26, 2011 03:52 PM Bagong Bayani Foundation, Inc. (BBFI) has announced the search for the 2011 Bagong Bayani Awardees. The Bagong Bayani Awards (BBA) is a national search for the country's outstanding and exemplary overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), BBFI said in a statement. "BBA pays tribute to the new heroes of our time. It gives due recognition to their significant

Arroyo’s plunder raps based on her notes

2011-04-27T09:57:00.000+08:00

‘Charge to OWWA,’ Arroyo ordered; P550M misused By Nikko Dizon Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 01:33:00 04/27/2011 MANILA, Philippines—For allegedly dipping her fingers into a cookie jar reserved for overseas Filipino workers, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo so disgusted at least three Malacañang insiders that they helped put together plunder charges that she is now facing.

Transfer of P4-B from OWWA to Philhealth

2011-04-27T09:49:00.000+08:00

Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 02:06:00 04/27/2011 MANILA, Philippines—In 2004, critics assailed then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for allegedly authorizing the diversion to her presidential election campaign of some P4 billion from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) funds to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth). They said OWWA funds, amassed from

Ilocos Norte pilot site for study on OFW-driven development

2011-04-11T18:35:00.000+08:00

By ROY C. MABASAApril 10, 2011, 6:45pm ILOCOS NORTE,Philippines -- Ilocos Norte, the oldest Philippine community in the migration game, was recently chosen, together with Taguig, as a pilot site for the field testing of a major United Nations Development Program (UNDP) project worth $250,000 aimed at harnessing the power of remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to drive

Maryland schools ordered to pay Filipino teachers

2011-04-10T13:49:00.000+08:00

By Jun Medina INQUIRER.net First Posted 19:14:00 04/09/2011 The US Department of Labor has ruled that Maryland's Prince George's County school system should have paid for all the expenses of 1,044 teachers recruited from foreign countries, including more than 800 from the Philippines, and told the school to pay $5.9 million in back wages and penalties. The DOL's Wage and Hour

Palace forms new team to handle OFW crises

2011-04-10T13:44:00.000+08:00

By Norman Bordadora Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 17:48:00 04/09/2011 MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang has created a new, high-level team to strengthen the government’s ability to respond to the needs of overseas Filipino workers faced with political conflict and natural disasters in the countries where they toil. Executive Order No. 34, signed on April 6 by President Benigno

OFW families living the dolce vita

2011-04-10T13:36:00.000+08:00

Remittances lead to more shopping, study says By Vanessa B. Hidalgo Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 20:10:00 04/09/2011 MANILA, Philippines—Remittances of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) not only prop up the local economy, they also tend to spoil OFWs’ loved ones back home. Research shows that Filipino families with OFW relatives engage in more leisure activities and own more

Former OFW earns more while working in hometown

2011-04-02T15:46:00.000+08:00

By JENNY F. MANONGDOApril 2, 2011, 2:08pm MANILA, Philippines — A former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who worked abroad for 14 years is now contributing largely to her community, earning twice more than what she earned in the past after establishing a modern birthing home under the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Dolores Batchanicha is

3 Filipino drug mules executed in China

2011-03-30T22:43:00.001+08:00

Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, INQUIRER.net First Posted 11:53:00 03/30/2011 MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 4) Three Filipinos convicted of drug smuggling were executed in China Wednesday, triggering condemnation in the Catholic Philippines and despair for family members who shared their final moments. "It is a sad day for all of us,” Vice President Jejomar Binay said as he

050607: DFA to repatriate 45 OFWs in Nigeria

2009-05-02T23:37:00.016+08:00

The Philippine Star 05/06/2007 Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo has ordered the immediate repatriation of 45 Filipino workers of the Daewoo Engineering and Construction company in Nigeria. The repatriation will take place even as government continues to work with the Nigerian government for the safe release of eight Filipinos abducted by armed group from their work site in Port

050607: Absentee voters in S'pore increase

2009-05-02T23:37:00.015+08:00

The Philippine Star 05/06/2007 The Philippine Embassy in Singapore received the highest number of mailed ballots from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there allowed to vote by mail for the May 14 polls. The Embassy in Singapore topped the list of Filipino embassies and consulates worldwide where mailed ballots are received for the OFW absentee voting. As of last count, 2,228 ballots have

051507: Literally, they were absentee voters-why?

2009-05-02T23:37:00.014+08:00

By Estrella Torres Reporter THE Commission on Elections said it would investigate the very low turnout of absentee voters, counted at less than 14 percent. Commissioner Florentino Tuason Jr. said as of 3 p.m. (Manila time) Monday, only 71,668 out of the 504,000 registered Filipino voters abroad had cast

051607: 1st-qtr OFW inflows grow 24%; March hits $1.3B

2009-05-02T23:37:00.013+08:00

By Jun Vallecera Reporter THE number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sending back earnings to their families at home had actually contracted nearly 11 percent in the first three months, and yet the volume of dollars went up by 24 percent year-on-year to $3.5 billion. In March alone, the inflows hit $1.3

052107: Use OFW funds for investment tool, government told

2009-05-02T23:37:00.012+08:00

By Max V. de Leon Reporter THE Filipino-Chinese business community has proposed to government the formation of a team to study how to capture the $15-billion yearly overseas Filipino workers (OFW) remittances and turn them into a huge investment instrument. Francis Chua, honorary president of the

052107: OFW remittances fueling growth in real estate

2009-05-02T23:37:00.011+08:00

May 20, 2007 Updated 17:28:25 (Mla time) Daxim Lucas Inquirer MANILA, Philippines -- UP TO A third of the record-high foreign remittances sent home by expatriate Filipino workers is spent on real estate, making the current property market boom more durable than previous episodes, according to industry players and market watchers. In an interview, Century Properties managing director John

050908: Overseas Filipinos forming political party for 2010

2009-05-02T23:37:00.010+08:00

By Veronica Uy INQUIRER.net First Posted 15:01:00 05/09/2008 MANILA, Philippines -- Overseas Filipinos are forming a national political party in preparation for the 2010 elections and beyond, it was revealed at the Global Filipino Nation (GFN) conference Friday. Francisco “Jun” Aguilar, interim chairman of the Partido ng Pandaigdigang Pilipino (PPP or Party of the Global Filipino), said the

091908: Migrante dares new OWWA chief to prove she's no lackey

2009-05-02T23:37:00.009+08:00

D’JAY LAZARO, GMANews.TV09/19/2008 | 05:30 PM MANILA, Philippines — An alliance of overseas Filipino workers' organizations in the Middle East on Friday dared the new chief of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to prove she’s nobody’s lackey and that she can safeguard the welfare fund of overseas Filipino workers.Migrante-Middle East said Carmelita Dimzon faces big

090308: Overseas workers boost franchising business

2009-05-02T23:37:00.008+08:00

Vol. XXII, No. 28Wednesday, September 3, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES FREE PREVIEW The Economy Overseas workers boost franchising business OVERSEAS FILIPINO workers (OFWs) are propping up the franchising industry as they and their relatives make up a bulk of franchise investors, an industry group said. The entry of OFWs into the franchising business was responsible for the 29% increase in

102208: Adlib: The challenge of NaFFAA

2009-05-02T23:37:00.007+08:00

Vol. XXII, No. 63Wednesday, October 22, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES Opinion Ad Lib By Greg B. Macabenta The challenge of NaFFAA In late August 1997 over 2,000 delegates from all over the United States converged at the Marriott Hotel in Washington DC for the 1st Filipino American Empowerment Conference. I was assigned to write the rationale for it. This is what I wrote: "Why an Empowerment

103008: Migration a tool versus crisis

2009-05-02T23:37:00.006+08:00

Vol. XXII, No. 69Thursday, October 30, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES Today’s Headlines UN chief warns against curbs as sentiments worsen MIGRATION HAS NOT BEEN SPARED by the global financial crisis, putting further strain on economies — especially those dependent on remittances — and necessitating the need for increased cooperation among countries, United Nations (UN)

112408: Australia needs 10,000 workers, says POEA

2009-05-02T23:37:00.005+08:00

Raymund F. AntonioDisplaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and those who will lose their jobs in host countries due to the global economic crisis may seek employment in South Australia which needs 10,000 workers in 2009, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported yesterday. POEA Administrator

120508: Shipping slowdown expected to cut deployment of seafarers

2009-05-02T23:37:00.004+08:00

Vol. XXII, No. 95Friday, December 5, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES The Economy A SLOWDOWN in cargo shipping worldwide will likely cause a reduction in seafarer deployment in the first quarter next year, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said, citing projections of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). WORKERS in cargo vessels to be the most affected by slower global

121908: The OFWs amid the financial crisis

2009-05-02T23:37:00.003+08:00

Vol. XXII, No. 105Friday, December 19, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES The Economy BY ROXANNE KATE MAGTIBAY, Junior Researcher, and JENY TABIN, Senior Researcher A DECADE's worth of experience should have prepared the country for the present financial slowdown. The Asian Crisis in 1997 took a significant toll on the employment of overseas workers and exposed the perils of a remittance-driven

012209: Former OFW uses technology to take business to next level

2009-05-02T23:37:00.002+08:00

LIKE MANY Filipino workers abroad, Eden de Castro Villa realized early the sacrifices she would be making and challenges she would be facing to earn a living in a foreign country. Working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, not only did she have to deal with homesickness, she also endured the shabby treatment from her employers. "People look down on you if you are a domestic helper. It

020509: DFA: Not true green passports valid only until end 2009

2009-05-02T23:37:00.001+08:00

By aleta_nieva Created 02/05/2009 - 17:36 abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/05/2009 5:36 PM The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday announced that green passports are valid until their expiration date.“The Office of the Consular Affairs of the DFA wishes to inform the international community to honor the validity of all machine-readable ready passports (green passports) until its

020509: Webcams on ships ease Pinoy seafarers' loneliness

2009-05-02T23:37:00.000+08:00

By aleta_nieva Created 02/05/2009 - 19:41 abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/05/2009 7:41 PM Filipino seafarers now have the opportunity to be globally connected with their families as merchant vessels in Europe going hi-tech to ease the loneliness and homesickness experienced by many seamen.In a report by ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau chief Danny Buenafe, under the Crew Welfare Initiative, Filipino

091207: Smart, UAE firm in remit tie-up

2009-04-26T10:53:00.000+08:00

By EMMIE V. ABADILLALeading United Arab Emirates (UAE.) telecommunications operator Etisalat is jointly developing a mobile international transfer service with Smart Communications Inc., headed by Napoleon L. Nazareno, President and CEO. Etisalat offers both fixed and mobile phone services to over 4.5 million subscribers, with a penetration rate of almost 100 percent in the UAE. It

071507-European ship loves all-Pinoy crew

2009-04-26T10:51:00.003+08:00

July 03, 2007 Updated 12:15:59 (Mla time) Volt Contreras Inquirer SINCE 2004, A EUROPEAN SHIPPING company has been hiring only Filipino crewmen for its tanker fleet, entrusting all its nine ships and their precious load to these "natural seafarers." By 2009, Hellespont Corp. will have acquired 14 more vessels—still to be manned by "innovative, unflappable, lighthearted, and videoke-loving

061807: Owwa gets go-ahead on reorganization

2009-04-26T10:51:00.002+08:00

By Joel San Juan Reporter THE Supreme Court has given the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (Owwa) the green light to proceed with the implementation of its new organizational structure as approved by its board of trustees on January 9, 2004. In a 23-page decision written by Associate Justice Minita Chico-Na-zario,

061807: Owwa streamlines funds schemes

2009-04-26T10:51:00.001+08:00

By Jun Vallecera Reporter THE Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (Owwa) has done away with subpar operational practices and atrocious policy stances that in the past led to losses in the hundreds of millions of pesos a year, according to industry sources. The first to go was the fund’s self-imposed five-year

061807: Fund firms track OFWs moving to newer markets

2009-04-26T10:51:00.000+08:00

By Vic Sollorano Senior Editor OVERSEAS Filipino Workers, or OFWs, will continue to evolve, their numbers growing outside the traditional markets like the US, Middle East, Europe and Asia, as more Filipinos go abroad in search of economic opportunities. As traditional destinations lose their allure, and as

061307: DBP, Smart in P1-B job program for OFWs

2009-04-26T10:50:00.004+08:00

By Lenie Lectura Reporter STATE-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has set up a P1-billion livelihood facility to benefit overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in partnership with Smart Communications Inc. DBP president and chief executive officer Reynaldo David said the livelihood program, "

060107: PNB banks on more remittances

2009-04-26T10:50:00.003+08:00

By Jun Vallecera Reporter THE Philippine National Bank has taken the opposite view to the prediction of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that the flow of remittances from overseas Filipino workers would soon slow down. PNB president Omar Byron Mier said they have prepared for an increase of more than 16

053107: Tax-OFWs plan rejected

2009-04-26T10:50:00.002+08:00

NEDA SAYS FAMILIES OF MIGRANT WORKERS ALREADY HIT BY STRONG PESO By Rommer M. Balaba Reporter THE government right now has no intention to tax the incomes derived by Filipinos working abroad, as suggested earlier by a group of economists and business experts, according to a senior official from the

053107: ING, PNB creating mutual fund for OFWs

2009-04-26T10:50:00.001+08:00

May 31, 2007 Updated 03:49:32 (Mla time) Doris Dumlao Inquirer Dutch banking giant ING and Philippine National Bank (PNB) have teamed up to create within this year a mutual fund for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with a size of up to $500 million. The two banks recently signed a memorandum of agreement to contribute $15 million each in seed money to the mutual fund, to be called the ING

052907: Mirror on the Wall: Belittling the OFW: Can Neri be that rude?

2009-04-26T10:50:00.000+08:00

Water will always seek its own level no matter how many dams you erect to contain or control its free float. This also holds true in looking for a scapegoat, such as the practice of government officials to escape blame for their poor performance. Such exactly happened in the case of the current strong peso. You

043007: OFW inflows to hit $ 14.7 B this year

2009-04-26T10:49:00.000+08:00

By LEE C. CHIPONGIAN The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to remit $ 14.74 billion this year. The previous forecast was $ 14 billion. The BSP is currently reviewing its overall external account projections. BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo said when the BSP revised the balance of payments

043007: Editorial: Overseas Filipino Investors

2009-04-26T10:22:00.000+08:00

Editorial: Overseas Filipino investors So why not tap overseas Filipino workers (OFW) as a viable investment source? That’s the proposal of Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks and Financial Institutions, who points out that the $12 billion to $14 billion annual

Study: RP diaspora widens poverty gap

2007-12-14T04:18:00.000+08:00

Study: RP diaspora widens poverty gap Billions of dollars in remittances by its huge overseas work force are lifting many areas of the Philippines out of poverty but millions more are being left behind, according to a study obtained by Agence France Presse Thursday. Manila and five

BSP pushes sale of $1-B bonds to OFWs

2007-04-29T15:13:00.007+08:00

Move can shift focus from spending to investing By Doris Dumlao Inquirer Last updated 10:07pm (Mla time) 02/11/2007 THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas has urged the national government to offer this year as much as $1 billion in retail treasury bonds (RTBs) to overseas Filipino workers and their beneficiaries. In a report to Malacañang on initiatives to improve the environment for offshore

Surreal: a 'hearing' in the Senate, a briefing at the Palace

2007-04-29T15:13:00.006+08:00

Surreal: a ‘hearing’ in the Senate, a briefing at the Palace By Butch Fernandez and Mia Gonzalez Reporters DESPITE pronouncements by various agencies that the multibillion-peso funds of overseas Filipino workers are intact and ready for their use in the Middle East, Malacañang refused to allow executive officials to testify Monday at the Senate labor committee hearing on government plans to

New System for Tourist Visas in the Process

2007-04-29T15:13:00.005+08:00

The Middle East's Leading English Language Daily Friday, 14, April, 2006 (16, Rabi` al-Awwal, 1427) var NS = (navigator.appName == "Netscape"); var VERSION = parseInt