OWWA fetes Cordillera model OFW families

BAGUIO CITY — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with the 2019 model OFW family of the year award regional search and selection committee, awarded families of OFW Angelina Calaowa and Alfonso Maico as Cordillera’s MOFYA winners in the land - based and sea – based category, respectively.

Angelina Calaowa worked as a staff nurse at United Arab Emirates for 27 years. Angelina and husband, Manny, are blessed with four children, all of whom have their respective careers now. Their eldest is currently working as a nurse in UAE. The family lives in Loakan, Baguio City.

Alfonso Maico of Woodsville Subdivision in Camp 7, Baguio City worked as a seafarer for 27 years. He and wife Marivic have three children who are all professionals now.

Winning  special awards during   MOFYA awarding held at Paragon Hotel here Saturday are the  family of Peter Cotiyam of Buguias,  Benguet for Outstanding Achievement in Community Projects,  and the family of Helen Betbet of Pudtol,  Apayao for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship.

Other regional finalists for the MOFYA 2019 are the families of OFWs Deborah Milad of Natonin, Mountain Province and Jenelyn Bayawon of Kiangan, Ifugao for the land – based category, and the family of OFW Porsado Valera Jr. of Bangued, Abra for the sea – based category.

All finalists received certificate of recognition and cash prizes. OWWA partner agencies like DOT, DTI, LandBank, POPCOM and DFA also shared tokens as additional prizes. 

                This year’s MOFYA RSSC is composed of Fe Damagen of Episcopal Diocese of Northern Central Philippines (EDNCP) as chairperson with Director Helen Tibaldo of PIA – CAR, Wendy Salada of DOLE- CAR, Vilma Corpuz for OFW sea – based sector, Grace Mayos for OFW land – based sector, Cathy Biswalen, former president CALMA, and Carmen Moyaen of Community and Family Service Inc. as members.

                OWWA – CAR Regional Director Manuela Peña outlined that MOFYA is an annual search since 1995 that aims to highlight and give recognition to OFW families triumph in facing the challenges of migration, on how they cope up and maintain family solidarity despite the physical distance, how they maintain civic and community involvement, how they invested in their child/children’s education and on how they manage their finances and business investments. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)