The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration – Regional Welfare Office 7 (OWWA-7) launched its annual program “Paskong Salubong kay Kabayan 2023” to welcome home the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who arrived at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on December 23, 2023.
The program aims to show appreciation and gratitude to the OFWs for their sacrifices and contributions to the country, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It also seeks to spread joy and cheer to the OFWs and their families during the Christmas season.
As part of the program, OWWA-7 gave away gift bags and cash prizes to the lucky OFWs who arrived from international flights from Dubai, Narita, Doha, and Hong Kong. The gift bags contained Region 7 delicacies such as dried mangoes, otap, rosquillos, and masareal, as well as a souvenir folding umbrella. The cash prizes, amounting to Php 10,000.00 each, were drawn from a raffle among the arriving OFWs.
Four OFWs won the cash prizes on the first day of the program. They were Maria Teresa Santos from Dubai, Rodelio Abad from Narita, Jocelyn Villanueva from Doha, and Ramon Reyes from Hong Kong. They expressed their gratitude and happiness for the unexpected blessing from OWWA-7.
OWWA-7 OIC-Regional Director Reynaldo B. Jacalan led the program launching, together with other officials from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, GMR Megawide Corporation, Department of Tourism, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Customs, MCIA Police Station, and the Office of Transportation Security. They also greeted and assisted the arriving OFWs with their health protocols and travel requirements.
Jacalan said that the program is a way of honoring and thanking the OFWs for their hard work and resilience in the face of the challenges brought by the pandemic. He also said that OWWA-7 will continue to provide assistance and support to the OFWs and their families in the region.
The program will run until December 31, 2023, and OWWA-7 will distribute the remaining gift bags and two more cash prizes to the OFWs who will arrive at MCIA in the next days.