Day: March 17, 2023

Senator Imee Marcos urged on Friday the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) groups to give more focus on creating support programs to deal with family problems being faced by overseas workers.

Marcos made the statement during her visit with Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) Chief Arnel Ignacio, to the wake in Taysan town, Batangas province of Virginia Dela Peña’s four children who were killed by her live-in partner at their home in Trece Martires City, Cavite province on March 9 before ending his own life.

The lawmaker said these problems being faced by OFWs and their dependents who are left in the Philippines can be addressed by support groups.

“Syempre hindi naman normal sa isang pamilya na nagkakawalay-walay. Dapat talaga kahit papaano may support group na nananatili sa Pilipinas at bigyan ng konting pansin itong mga problems na natural lang sa pamilya sana (Of course it is not normal for a family to be separated from each other. There has to be a support group here in the Philippines that will give attention to these problems which are also natural in a family),” Marcos said in an ambush interview.

She cited Filipino fathers who were left with no choice but to also act as mothers while their wife works abroad.

“Yung tinatawag na feminization of labor, ang bigat nyan sa pamilya. Syempre yung lalake, nawawalan ng dignidad at kinakawawa rin ng iba. Kaya nagiging abnormal kumbaga, nagiging unnatural yung set-up ng pamilya, kaya kinakailangan talaga tulungan (That’s what we call feminization of labor, that’s too burdensome for a family. Of course, the man will lose his dignity and will be teased by others. That’s why the setup of the family becomes abnormal, unnatural, and needs to be helped out),” Marcos added.

With the assistance that OWWA can provide, Marcos also committed to help Dela Peña’s family in other ways she can.

Last year, OWWA Board of Trustees formed the OFW Children’s Circle (OCC) through Board Resolution No. 7 which aims to protect the welfare of descendants of migrant workers.

The OWWA said in a statement that the OCC aims to help OFW children to achieve their full potential in community- and nation-building, as well as address the societal impact of labor migration, such as separation from an OFW-parent, and the possible negative effects on their well-being and mental health.

Likewise, the program will serve as a venue for them to showcase the creative skills and talents of OFW children, improve socialization skills and harness coping mechanisms of OFW children, foster awareness of youth-centered and civic advocacies such as environment and climate change, values reorientation, digital literacy, and anti-drugs and substance abuse.

The Board of Trustees has initially allocated PHP15 million to cover the operational and administrative expenses of the program.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) on Friday received roughly PHP7 million worth of gymnastics equipment donated by the Japanese government through its Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Project.

Japan’s Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko and GAP President Cynthia Carrion led the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the top-of-the-line equipment that were installed inside the GAP Training Center at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.

Also present were Japan Embassy First Secretary Hitomi Akihiko, former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, House Committee chair on Youth and Sports Rep. Faustino Michael Dy III, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Walter Torres, MVP Sports Foundation executive director Jude Michael Turcuato, world champion Carlos Edriel Yulo and Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya.

“We would like to thank the Japanese government’s generous help in setting up this facility for our aspiring gymnasts who can now train and develop their skills and talent using quality equipment that we did not have before,” said Carrion, who signed the grant assistance at the Japanese ambassador’s official residence in Forbes Park, Makati last year.

Among the apparatus installed were the men’s parallel bars, women’s balance beam, vault and soft mats, which have all passed the FIG standards, and made by Senoh Sporting Equipment Company, a leading Japan sports equipment manufacturer.

“We are grateful to Ambassador Koshikawa for helping us in securing the grant so that we can further discover and nurture top gymnasts like Carlos Yulo, a GAP protege since he was seven years old and has emerged as a two-time world champion,” Carrion said.

“Our youthful athletes now have an environment where they can train properly with equipment that was used by elite gymnasts during the big sports events. Hopefully, their lingering aura will rub off on our budding gymnasts,” she said.

The GAP president also assured that the world-class equipment will be well-maintained to ensure that many young gymnasts will be able to use them for a long time.

Source: Philippines News Agency