Christmas day is fast approaching and as a tradition, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Benguet chapter, held the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Family Day 2008 at the Itogon Training Center, in  Tuding,  Itogon,  Benguet  last  Dec. 17.

It was a colorful and festive Christmas event, which was participated in by 92 OFWs, along with some members of their family, coming from the different municipalities of Benguet. The participants enjoyed free meals, talent shows, entertainment, and games with door prizes and raffle draws. OWWA also gave each OFW family participant grocery packs and simple Christmas gifts for the children.

Free medical services were also offered to the OFW participants and their families, with Dr. Celia Brillantes of the Baguio Health Department leading the medical team.

Globe Telecoms, OWWA’s major private partner, also provided “libreng tawag” for all the participants who want to call members of their families abroad. Globe Telecoms also raffled off 20 cellular phones to the lucky participants.

The highlight of the event was the awarding of the “OWWAish ko lang” OFW Family Beneficiary. The said award is given to OFWs who decided to work abroad for a certain dream or wish for his family, but was forced to return home without finishing their contracts because of misfortune or uncontrollable circumstances. 

This year’s “OWWAish” winner is an OFW family from Tuba, Benguet, who was awarded P10,000 cash assistance by OWWA, plus a livelihood package that will be given later by OWWA’s private partners. The winning family’s children were also invited by OWWA to their “Tuloy Aral Program,” which would commence early next year.

Every Benguet municipality was asked to submit its nominees for the award.

According to OWWA regional director Manuela Peña, this was the first time for the OFW Family Day was celebrated in a Benguet municipality.
This, she said, is the result of their newly formed partnership with the LMP-Benguet, which is headed by Itogon mayor Mario Godio, through a MOA for the creation of a migrant desk in each Benguet municipality.  

Godio welcomed the participants in the said event and thanked OWWA for its untiring support to the OFWs in the region.