Model OFW families honored in Malacañang

Don Kevin Hapal

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Model OFW families honored in Malacañang
President Rodrigo Duterte tells OWWA's awardees for 2017: 'Hand in hand, let us continue to strive for a more prosperous and comfortable life for your family and to the future generation of Filipinos'

MANILA, Philippines – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has recognized two exemplary overseas Filipino worker (OFW) families for their achievements and contributions to their respective communities.

They were honored in an awarding ceremony for the annual Model OFW Family of The Year Award (MOFYA) on Tuesday, December 5, in Malacañang. 

National Capital Region’s Leo Rafer de Velez and his family are this year’s national winner for the land-based category.

Soccsksargen’s Noe Canja Diola and his family are the winners for the sea-based category.

De Velez family

De Velez is an engineer and a resident of Las Pinas City. He was a mechanical engineering board topnotcher who joined Shell Corporation, assuming managerial positions in its Philippines office and Singapore headquarters, until his retirement in 2013. His wife Maria Elaine, meanwhile, was a senior director for research and development of Johnson and Johnson Asia Pacific in Singapore.

Upon returning to the Philippines, they started a company, which helped many children successfully pass the national competitive examinations administered by the Philippines Science High School. Leo also created an e-teaching medium for late learners and indigenous communities. They also helped in restoring a 500-year-old church in their hometown of Vinzons, Camarines Norte.

Leo De Velez and wife, Maria Elaine, receives this year's national award for the landbased category of the 2017 Model OFW Family of the Year Award.

Diola family

Also an engineer, Diola is from Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, and was raised by a widowed mother. His wife, Angelita, a dentist, focused on raising their children and managing their business. Their two eldest children are now doctors, while their youngest is a Grade 9 student. 

The husband and wife have sponsored medical and dental missions and outreach programs in their community. They have also helped beneficiaries under the Department of Labor and Employment’s Special Program for Employment of Scholars. 

The two national winners received a trophy and P500,000 each. They were chosen from 17 families of land-based OFWs and another 17 families of sea-based workers who won in the regional searches. The regional winners were given P30,000 each.

Here are the regional winners: 

Land-based

  • Russell Vilmer Tandoc – Dagupan City, Pangasinan
  • Marcela Valdez – Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya
  • Nestor Dizon – Pampanga
  • Antonio Fernandez
  • Abad Arellano
  • Nicolas Perez – Nabua, Camarines Sur
  • Antonio Morales – La Paz, Iloilo
  • Gerry Paglinawan- Cebu City
  • Salvador Villalino – Catbalogan, Samar
  • Albie Usama- Zamboanga City
  • Aurelia Lunsayan- Sumilao, Bukidnon
  • Radiya Mustapa – Mati, Davao Oriental
  • Evelyn Camendan – Takurong City, Sultan Kudarat
  • Sultan Samer Tatak – Mamasapano, Maguindanao
  • Saturnino Valencia – Baguio City
  • Dr Rolando Hordista – Trento, Agusan del Sur
  • Leo De Velez – Las Piñas (national winner)

Sea-based

 

  • Michael Eugenio – Pugo, La Union
  • Crisanto Limbauan – Enrile, Cagayan
  • Patricio Fernando – Dinalupihan, Bataan
  • Teodorico Pagkaliwangan – Indang Cavite
  • Edgardo Nardo – Boac, Marinduque
  • Benito Casquejo – Tabaco City, Albay
  • Agustin Bedia – Oton, Iloilo
  • Emerico Gepilano – Banawa, Cebu City
  • Captain Rodello Ponay – Catbalogan City, Samar
  • Captain Romulo Elagor – Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte
  • Cesar Maderal – Mahayahay, Iligan City
  • Remegildo Banderado – Lanang, Davao City
  • Noe Diola, Pigcawayan – North Cotabato (national winner)
  • Jun Salazar – Parang, Maguindanao
  • Roberto Vizcarra – Guisad, Baguio City
  • Napoleon Jovita – San Juan, Surigao City
  • Rodrigo Pulvera – Batasan Hills, Quezon City

Special awards

Meanwhile, Central Visayas’ Emerico Gepilano and his family were given the Special Award for Community Service.

Gapilano comes from a family of seafarers from Banawa, Cebu City, and holds a degree in marine transportation. He and 6 other seafarers put up a maritime review and training center, which helps aspiring seafarers and undertakes community outreach programs. They have sponsored cleft palate surgeries, feeding programs, and scholarships for the less fortunate.

Also from Region 7, Gerry Paglinawan and his family from Mabolo, Cebu City, were given the Special Award for Entrepreneurship.

A fine arts graduate, Gerry became a director of design for a prestigious exporter in Vietnam from 1996 to 2010 and in China in 2013 to 2017. The family is engaged in successful business enterprises in Zamboanga and Cebu.

The two families from Cebu City were given a plaque and check worth P75,000 each.

3 domestic workers were also given the Natatanging Kalihim Award

  • Marchela Echevere Valdez
  • Radiya Bergado Mustapa
  • Evelyn Licos Camenda

President Rodrigo Duterte graced the awarding ceremony. In his speech, Duterte told the OFW families that he is confident they will be “steadfast partners of government in promoting the FIlipinos’ greatness in the international community.”

“Hand in hand, let us continue to strive for a more prosperous and comfortable life for your family and to the future generation of Filipinos,” he said. – Rappler.com

 

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Don Kevin Hapal

Don Kevin Hapal is Rappler’s Head of Data and Innovation. He started at Rappler as a digital communications specialist, then went on to lead Rappler’s Balikbayan section for overseas Filipinos. He was introduced to data journalism while writing and researching about social media, disinformation, and propaganda.