OFW 911 >> News

MANILA – All is inreadiness for the launching on May 9 of OFW 911 in ceremonies at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel, Eli N. Gardiner, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the OFW 911 Foundation, Inc., said yesterday.

Gardiner said many major industry players have confirmed their participation in the affair. He said the foundation envisions the creation of "a culture of belonging and pride, and the enrichment of the lives of the OFWs and their families through the extension of more basic services."

He said the foundation calls for assistance to OFWs through information and education, research projects that would promote the welfare of OFWs; publication of these research outputs; and coordination with the government, private sector and other non-profit institutions.

The program will have Ms. Leah Navarro and Eugene Villauz as emcees. Program highlights will include an OFW 911 Audio/Video Presentation, the keynote address of Sen. Blas F. Ople, the recognized Godfather of OFWs, and signing of Memorandu of Understanding.

In memorandum order, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Andrea D. Domingo directed immigration officers at the exit points not to allow the departing workers to leave if they do not have employment certificates issued by the POEA.

As this developed, a private foundation committed to the enrichment of overseas Filipino Workers’ lives through welfare assistance will be launched today at its office at Unit 903A West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Center (Tektite) on Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

To be known as OFW 911 Foundation, Inc., the organization envisions to be in the forefront of creating an OFW culture of belonging and pride.

Its chairman, former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief Eli N. Gardiner, said that through information and education, the foundation could promote the welfare and interest of OFWs.

Composing its board of trustees are Grace Javier Alfonso, Liza C. Carascal, Carmelina M. Castro, Luz M. Pacifico, Cynthia Romero-Mamon and Sita Castro-Yan.

“We are committed to extend more than basic services to OFWs and their families. We shall create strong linkages with government and private institutions to further the welfare of our overseas Filipino workers,” Gardiner said.

Senator Blas F. Ople yesterday urged greater public/private partnership in the promotion of the overseas workers’ rights, saying the huge and growing OFW population deserved a stronger safety net from the nation.

“Because we owe the OFWs a lot, we should not stint in walking the extra mile for them,” Senator Ople said.

Ople, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, made the remarks at the Launching of the OFW 911 Foundation, a private nonprofit group organized to look after the welfare of the “new heroes of the development.”

The launching took place at the Manila Hotel where guests coming from the public and private sectors gathered to wish the foundation well.

Eli N. Gardiner, former chief of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is the foundation chairman.

Ople, former minister of Labor, launched the overseas employment program in 1974 to help ease the unemployment crisis, earn dollars for the economy and respond to the oil crisis that had hurt the global economy, including that of the Philippines.

The Labor secretary created OWWA – together with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the National Manpower and Youth Council (now TESDA) to handle the protection, training and deployment of overseas workers.

In his remarks, Gardiner said the OFW 911 Foundation will provide information and education to promote the welfare of overseas Filipino workers. The group will also conduct research projects and research-related projects to identify programs that would promote the interest of OFWs and their relatives.

The members of the board of directors are Grace Javier Alfonso, Liza C. Carascal, Carmelina M. Castro, Luz M. Pacifico, Cynthia Romero-Mamon, and Sita Castro-Yan.

The foundation will establish an international OFW 911 call and texting center to link OFWs. It will air an OFW 911 radio program to act as a help-line to get fast action on the problems of overseas workers.

The foundation is based at the Philippine Stock Exchange Center (Tektite), Pasig City.