By Caesar Vallejos
Eagle News Service
The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong lauded the ‘AID for OFW’, a socio-civic project for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) conducted by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) held at the Asiaworld Expo last January 27, 2019.
A total of 6,392 attendees gathered at the Asiaworld Expo for the ‘AID for OFW.’ Almost 3,500 bags containing assorted food and personal care products were distributed to OFWs who attended the event.
Reacting immediately after the worship gathering officiated by INC Executive Minister Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo, Philippine Consul General to Hong Kong Antonio A. Morales said, “it’s a very eye-opening activity that also emphasizes the importance of faith that is very important to our countrymen — that they draw strength and inspiration to carry on with their activities, being recharged spiritually.”
“We thank Ka Eduardo V. Manalo for being our Special Envoy for Overseas Filipino concerns. He is certainly an inspiration, a source of strength,” the Consul General said.
“Whenever he speaks, he gives strength and inspiration to our countrymen. We thank God for having him here and we appreciate the President’s appointment of Ka Eduardo as Special Envoy for Overseas Filipino concerns. He is doing a very excellent job,” he added.
To address the needs of OFWs, Consul General Morales said that the consulate hold regular consultations with the leaders of the community “to find out their specific concerns and matters that they wish for us to attend to and we meet with Hong Kong authorities.” There are also working group meetings with immigration and labor departments where work-related issues for Filipinos working in HK are discussed.
“We also support capacity building and skills training to improve their skills and to open up more opportunities for them,” the Consul General said. But he emphasized that one of the most important focus areas is to provide financial literacy to OFWs, both for the current workers and for those who are returning to the Philippines.
“We tell them to prepare for their future in the Philippines by managing their finances and how to make sure that they will not send everything; and that what they send are used wisely by their children, or their dependents in the Philippines,” he said.
The Consul General encouraged OFWs “to invest if they have excess money to invest, so that they will be assured of a better future and consider PAG-IBIG, SSS and other schemes available.”
He said “walang forever po sa Hong Kong.” He explained “OFWs will not be here indefinitely, eventually they have to go back home and they have to prepare for eventual return with some sense of economic stability.”
Aside from spiritual nourishment and material benefits, the ‘AID for OFW’ also featured providing entertainment to the Filipino community that showcased musical performances from Pinoy entertainers which gave a much-needed breather to hardworking overseas contract workers in Hong Kong.
