MANILA, Philippines?Four overseas Filipino worker (OFW) families that derived positive experiences from their foreign sojourns and came back to help their countrymen were named Model OFW Family of the Year 2009 by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
They were the families of engineer Rodolfo P. Lubis of Region IV-A in the land-based category; and Capt. Emilio B. Bello of Region V in the sea-based category.
For entrepreneurship and community development, respectively, awardees were the families of Sebastian A. Tamayo of the National Capital Region; and Zenaida S. Naga of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, respectively.
They were feted on Nov. 26 in a ceremony attended by Vice President Noli de Castro, Labor Secretary Marianito D. Roque and OWWA Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon.
Community projects
Lubis, who worked 16 years in Saudi Arabia for Bechtel International and then for Saudi Aramco, returned home to Lipa, Batangas, after he and wife Sonia had saved enough to buy farmland, put up a piggery, poultry and trucking firm where today they employ more than 200 people.
The Lubises have three children. The family built the first Gawad Kalinga Reunion Village where residents are given employment, livelihood capital and scholarships for the children.
Bello was a seaman for 29 years until 2000. He and his wife Ingrid got involved in community projects and advocacy work with civic organizations. They make donations regularly for school facilities and give a sack of rice to the parish every month.
They own rice fields, a piggery, copra, merchandise and hardware businesses, fish culture and an orchidarium in Masbate. They have three children.
Civic activities
Tamayo started as a waiter in Saudi Arabia and rose through the ranks to become a hotel manager in Kuwait after four years. Upon his return to the Philippines, he invested in catering services, restaurants and flower shops. He and wife Milagros have five children.
Naga of Marawi, Lanao del Sur, worked as a nurse for 10 years in Libya?s Ministry of Health. She and husband Nasser are involved in civic and social activities. They have put up a technical and vocational school to educate the community on health care. They have four children.
