SILA MAN AY MGA BAYANI DIN BY MISS SONIA MILAN CRISOSTOMO
Naniniwala ako na karapat-dapat lamang na tawaging mga bagong bayani ang ating mga nangingibang bansang manggagawang Pilipino. Hindi matatawaran ang mga paghihirap na kanilang binabata at ang mga sakripisyong bawat oras ay iniaalay nila para sa mga pamilyang kanilang naiwan. Sa mata ng pamahalaan at ng mga mamamayang Pilipino, sila ang patuloy na bumubuhay nang kadalasa’y naghihingalong ekonomiya ng bansa.
Subalit sa likod ng kabayanihang ito, nakakalimutan natin na malaki din ang sakripisyong ginagawa ng mga anak ng ating OFWs... (read more)
OFW's, Mga Bagong Bayani Daw? BY MISS SONIA CRISOSTOMO
Tapos na ang kauna-unahang automated election sa Pilipinas. Tahimik na ang mga pakakak. Nakikita na muli ang mga puno. Nakatiklop na ang mga tarpaulins. Wala nang nakasabit sa mga kawad ng kuryente. Back to normal ang kapaligiran. Balik na din ba sa dati ang ating pamumuhay? Naglaho na din ba ang mga pangako? Nalibing na din ba sa limot ang dating isinisigaw na pagbabago?
$4.3 Billion, remittance ng mga OFW sa unang quarter ng 2010 - balitang ayon sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Huhay na naman ang ekonomiya ng bansa, salamat sa ating mga OFW's, ang ating makabagong bayani. Pero teka, noong isang araw ay... (Read more)
Gawad Anak OFW 2010 Awardees
An Encounter with Padre Pio
A Personal Account of Rev. Fr. Joselin "Jojo" Gonda, Parish Priest and Rector of the Parish and Shrine of Santo Padre Pio in San Pedro, Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
A very touching account that once again reveals the power of God's Hands in action through His faithful followers. (Read more)
BY MISS SONIA CRISOSTOMO
Finally, we brought home the bacon!
RIZALDY V. LUISTRO, JR, a graduating fourth year student of St. Francis Academy in Mabini, Batangas, won this year’s Gawad Anak OFW. The Luzon-wide search for the Ten Outstanding Sons and Daughters of OFWs Student Achievement Awards is sponsored by the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and the Itinerant People (ECMI) of the CBCP. He was also elected President of this year’s finalists. Now on its third year, the yearly search aims to recognize the achievements of OFW children, despite, the absence of one or both parents (Full Article)
Formation Program for LACMMI Coordinators BY MISS SONIA CRISOSTOMO
In answer to the call of the migrants sector, LACMMI conducted a formation program for its coordinators to better equip them in their mission to the OFWs and the families they left behind. 28 parishes and 13 Catholic schools... (full article with photos)
National Migrants Sunday Celebrations in the
A Migrant's Way of the Cross An Easter Message to OFW's BY SONIA CRISOSTOMO
A very timely and indeed a touching way to relate migrants' sacrifices to that of Jesus. Read more...
Et tu, Chip Tsao?
In her blog, Crisanta Sampang talks about Chip Tsao, a Hongkong journalist who belittled our Domestic Professionals and called the Philippines "a Nation of Servants". Read more...
Archdiocese of Lipa BY MISS SONIA CRISOSTOMO
The sacrifices of our migrant workers are beyond compare. Their impact on our lives cannot be denied. Their efforts to uplift the quality of their lives and their families do not only encompass their very own but are intertwined with ours as well. Their concern is our concern. Their journey is our journey. They are our modern day heroes. (Full Article and photos) GAWAD Anak Batangueño Garnered Top Awards BY MISS SONIA CRISOSTOMO
The search for the Second Gawad Anak OFW 2009 or Ten Outstanding Sons and Daughters of OFW Student Acheivers (TOSDOSA) culminated in the awarding ceremony held at the Rosas Park Hotel in Ermita, Manila on March 27, 2009. (Full Article and photos) (Photo: Batangas bets Sheila Mae B. Ecita and Jennelyn J. Bantogon) Photos by Miss Sonia Crisostomo
MIGRANTS' PAGES: A tribute to our migrants and their families. An expression of themselves. Migrants and families speak their minds. New on this site. Check it out.(Updated: 23 May 2009)
OFW Diaries From GMA TV Network BY JUN R. CABAL
Features stories of OFW's, interviews and showcases of their experiences at work and how they manage the home front. Launched by GMA TV on March 17, 2009, the pilot episode features a Batangueña whose inspiring story motivates OFW's and Migrants to do their best in whatever they have to face in their lives. (Video)
LACMMI, Pioneer and CBCP-ECMI Launched the OFW SAVER'S CLUB BY MISS JUNE INABAYAN
The project aims to connect the OFW and their family by promoting information sharing, understanding and unity to create greater awareness andadvocacy on the implementation of viable reintegration programs... (Full Article)
Pag May Isinuksok, May Madudukot BY SONIA CRISOSTOMO Thee first OFW Saver’s Club Caravan was launched at the Our Lady of Caysasay Academy (OLCA) in Taal, Batangas. The club members from the parishes of Taal and Lemery were... (Full Article)
Read more about the launch at Pioneer's website: Business Mirror Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Gearing for OFW's Financial Wellness... By Maricar Cinco Southern Luzon Bureau
A FAMILY that "saves" together would stay together, specially during hard times. This is what the proponents of the Pamilyang OFW Savers' Club, a financial fitness program, believes when they decided to put up the program to teach sons and daughters of OFWs (SDOs) and immigrants to make wise financial decisions with the remittances sent by their parents. (Full Article)
DIRECTOR'S DESK
CHILDREN: Beneficiaries of and Compromised by Migration of their Parent/s Migration has become the culture of Filipino life. Most young people prefer to go abroad than to find work here because of poor job opportunities and insufficient income to raise a decent family. With the advent of growing percentage of people with no jobs or had been laid off because of the effects of the global economic crisis, the direction of Filipinos is to search for job offers abroad. This is sometimes, if not most of the time, results to Filipinos accepting jobs totally different from the courses they took or much lower than their training (i.e. doctors becoming nurses). Read more...
LIMITATIONS OF A MIGRANT'S PASTORAL PROGRAM The migrants’ phenomenon presents a huge dilemma in the Church pastoral program. The invitation to particularly do mission in their lives and situations is rather complex and extremely complicated (Full Article)
MISSION AND MIGRATION: REALITIES I had the privilege of traveling a few countries the past month. I did this for two basic reasons: one, for a personal desire to visit the Holy Land before I reach 50 years old. (Full Article)
MISSION: A LIFESTYLE OF THE CHURCH Mission has always been known to be following the command of Jesus Christ to “go out to the whole world and preach the good news.” (Mt 28:19-20). The Church continued to obey that command that the whole world was evangelized and is continually evangelized with the vocations and life of the missionaries. (Full Article)
PAG-GABAY: Kailangan ng OFW AT KANYANG PAMILYA Mula noong ako ay maging director ng Lipa Archdiocesan Commission of Migrants and Mission (LACMMI) noong taong 2005, tuloy-tuloy na ang paglapit sa amin ng mga OFWs at kanilang pamilya na may dala-dalang... (Full Article)
Dahil sa maraming Batangueñong nagnanais maging OFW ang nagiging biktima ng mga "illegal recruiter” na nagkalat sa lipunan maging dito sa Batangas; at dahil na rin sa di malinaw o kakulangan ng kaalaman sa mga probisyon ng batas hinggil sa mga OFW, ang R.A. 8042...
This year, RA 8042 is already twelve years old. Republic Act 8042 is also known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995. It aims to establish a higher standard of protection and promotion of welfare of migrant workers, their families and overseas Filipino in distress and other purposes.
OFWs working in countries like Hong Kong, Singapore and Israel who are planning to work as caregivers to Canada are advised to have their employment contract verified at the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices or POLO at the Philippine embassies in their respective worksites.
The POLO in Canada has reported cases of two Filipina caregivers from Dubai and Hong Kong who arrived in Canada without genuine employers. According to the report, one worker was facing deportation and the other was reportedly abused by her employer but could not formally complain for fear of being deported because the present employer was different from the one specified in her work permit.
Some unscrupulous foreign recruitment agencies and employers use third countries as jump off points to hire Filipinos, including caregivers to Canada.
CBCP-ECMI FORMS INTER-AGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL
BY Ms. JUNE INABAYAN
The Luzon Regional Migration Desk(LRMD) of Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care for Migrants and Itinerant People(ECMI) is spearheading the creation of Inter-Agency Coordinating Council for Migrants' Concern (IAMCO) in different provinces in Luzon to enhance the services delivered by the diocesan migration desk to families of migrants.
By Rev. Fr. Jojo C. Gonda In the latest report from the Philippine government, there are more or less 8.3 million Filipinos working and living abroad, legally or illegally. This is further reflected by the billions of pesos(more)
The Philippines Thru The Eyes of a Foreigner
A reality check for most of us who may have been raised differently than what we should have been. Its a painful realization of the truth of what Filipinos are all about and why its not too late to bring back the glory of what it once was to be called a Filipino. (read full article)
Rev. Fr. Edwin D. Corros of CBCP calls on LACMMI to support the programs of Balik-Pinas Cooperative thru its partners. The Business Enterprise and Cooperative Mentors, Inc. (BECMI) and the Inter-Country Skills Development Foundation, Inc. (ICSDFI) together plan to educate and train qualified community workforce at local and international training centers for non-entertainment jobs in Japan. Watch out for developments in these pages.
The PUNAY's of Rosario, Batangas worked their way in building a family in their own exemplary way gaining them the much coveted national award as the Model OFW Family of the Year Award 2006 (MOFYA).
A Nurse-in-Charge at the Kidney Dialysis and Transplant dept. of the Riyadh-Al kharj Hospital in Saudi Arabia, she did her best as a Filipina, professionally doing her job while her husband Mario toiled his way as a Civil Engineer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Water of Saudi Arabia. Together they raised their four fine children excelling in their respective professions. (more)
The search for the Second Gawad Anak OFW 2009 or Ten Outstanding Sons and Daughters of OFW Student Acheivers (TOSDOSA) culminated in the awarding ceremony held at the Rosas Park Hotel in Ermita, 
MIGRANTS' PAGES: 
LACMMI, Pioneer and CBCP-ECMI Launched 
