Arriving back in the country from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) aboard flight GF154 via Gulf Airlines, the OFWs Romilyn Daguplo, Joanalin Pascua and Jacquelyn Costuna are a picture of relief.
During the press conference early this morning, Mrs. Cynthia Villar personally welcomed three OFWs and their families. The latter in return expressed how grateful they are for putting an end to their agony.
The Villar Foundation led by its Managing Director, former Las Pinas Representative Cynthia Villar, has been repatriating distressed OFWs. Mrs. Villar said that giving assistance to OFWs is one key advocacy of the Villar Foundation.
Stories of three distressed Overseas Filipino Workers rescued and brought home to the Philippines with the help of Villar Foundation’s Sagip OFW/OFW Repatriation:
31-year-old Romilyn Daguplo from Bukidnon worked as a domestic helper in Dubai, UAE. Undetected by authorities, she left the country in March last year already pregnant. Romilyn learned that the government of Dubai has been strict to pregnant unmarried women so she got scared and ran away from her employer. This prompted her mother, a housemaid in the Philippines, to seek help of “Sagip OFW”.
Joanalin Pascua was underpaid, overworked and worst, sexually harassed. She sought refuge at Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO-OWWA) in Dubai until her repatriation.
24-year-old Jacquelyn Costuna left the country for Dubai in October 2011 but suffered maltreatment and verbal abuse from her employer. Like Joanalin, Jacquelyn stayed with POLO-OWWA Dubai until her repatriation.
Their stories are not different from OFWs whose hope and ambition turned into desperation. But with the help of Villar Foundation, they can start a new life.
The Villar Foundation has repatriated thousands of OFWs. This, in coordination with the Office of the Senator Manny Villar as well as related government agencies. Every year they bring home about 50 OFWs from different countries. The foundation has repatriated OFWs by providing plane tickets and paying exit fees in order for them to come home.
“There are still so many OFWs that needs to be rescue and we are very happy that we help them in whatever way we can.” Mrs. Villar added.
We asked the OFWs how it feels like working in Dubai and they said that they spent most of their time working yet they received verbal and physical abuse usually from the wives of their employers. The bad experience made them realize they wanted to go home. They immediately informed their families in the Philippines which the latter asked assistance by writing a letter to Villar Foundation.
“We are happy that we are in the position where we can help our countrymen, especially our OFWs who unfortunately encounter different types of problems abroad. We cannot rescue them all, so it is good that both the private sector and the government are extending similar help to OFWs.” said Villar
According to Mrs. Villar, “Besides repatriation, we also extend other forms of help to OFWs and their relatives. We help them get reintegrated into the society through livelihood trainings and assistance; medical assistance; and we even organized an OFW summit with Go Negosyo for them to encourage them to become entrepreneurs.”
Cynthia Villar’s message to OFWs
My experience this morning from welcoming our dear OFWs and listening to their heart-breaking stories to a sit-down interview with Mrs. Cynthia Villar made this day worthwhile. I congratulate the Villar Foundation with its Managing Director Mrs. Cynthia Villar for twenty years (20) of advocacies, providing immediate assistance to our kababayans abroad. Aside from Sagip OFW, the foundation also provides livelihood seminars and trainings to help OFWs returnees and be able to start their own business. Indeed, the foundation are doing such a good job for our OFWs!
This year, Villar Foundation’s major activities includes inauguration of Sendong Memorial for Sendong victims in Cagayan De Oro. By the end of the year, they will build the Sipag Center in Las Pinas, it’s a resource center for poverty reduction.
Learn more about OFW-related activities and other programs visit the Villar Foundation
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