Close to 600 families and relatives of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), students, and parishioners of the Catholic Church in Pampanga are expected to gather on March 6 in Sto.Tomas town in celebration of National Migrants Day.
This was announced by Ed Balagtas, core group member and head of paralegal and advocacy of the Pampanga Archdiocesan Migrants’ Desk (PAMD), a group formed to provide various services and assistance to families of OFWs in the province.
Balagtas said that the PAMD headed by Rev.Fr. Arnie Serrano, who is also the director of the Archdiocese Commission on Family and Life, has lined-up various activities to make the annual celebration of migrants’ day more meaningful to the families and relatives of OFWs.
“We have advised all participants to assemble at seven o’clock in the morning at the Pampanga provincial capitol before proceeding to the St. Thomas, the Apostle Parish in Sto.Tomas where a mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Paciano B. Aniceto,” Balagtas said.
He added that after the mass, the PAMD will award the winners in the provincial search for the top three outstanding sons and daughters of migrant workers dubbed Gawad Anak ng OFW.
Rose Clarie Feliciano, another PAMD core group member, said that the provincial winners will vie for the national search for the ten outstanding sons and daughters of OFWs scheduled on March 17.
Feliciano added that on the same day, a services forum will be held with representatives of government agencies concerned with the welfare of OFWs as resource persons.
She added that PAMD has invited the local Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), Social Security System and the Public Employment Services Office (PESO).
The Pampanga Action Center for OFW Concerns (PACOC), an office recently established by Governor Lilia G. Pineda to provide necessary services and assistance to Capampangans who work abroad, has also been invited to participate in the said services forum.
Balagtas explained that PAMD, organized five years ago, has been conducting family counseling, especially in matters of spiritual concerns, and providing linkage services with agencies of the government among the families of the OFWs.
“We aim to strengthen the families left behind by the migrant workers by providing necessary counseling services through our parish migrant desk coordinators.”
According to Balagtas, the PAMD has coordinators in the parishes of San Roque and St. Rafael in Lubao; St.James in Betis, Guagua; Sto. Tomas; Virgen delos Remedios in Dila-Dila, Sta.Rita; Holy Rosary in Angeles City; Sacred Heart in Palmayo and Divine Mercy in San Jose and Mother of Perpetual Help in Gutad, all in Floridablanca; Sto.Niño in the City of San Fernando; and La Consolacion and Immaculate Conception, both in Guagua.
“We enjoin everyone to come and celebrate with us this special day as we aim to reach out to as many OFW families and relatives in the province,” Balagtas ended. (Pampanga PIO)
