Cebuano OFW awardees toil abroad for kids, community
The dream to provide a good education for his five children pushed 72-year-old Dr. Carlito Astillero to seek greener pastures abroad.
“We have to sacrifice, it’s all for the best so we can survive,” said a beaming Astillero, who worked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for 31 years.
Astillero’s family was a recipient of the Model OFW Family of the Year Awards (MOFYA) for the land-based category in Central Visayas in Ayala Center Cebu yesterday afternoon.
Astillero was accompanied by his wife of 45 years Elena and his five children as he received the award. He cited his children as his inspiration in working abroad.
Originally hailing from Zamboanga del Norte, Astillero said he settled his family in Tisa, Cebu City, and started his medical career in Cebu.
“It’s not really prosperous. Most of my patients are poor and I don’t know how to charge them so I wasn’t earning well,” he said.
Then he decided to join the influx of medical practitioners who flocked to Saudi Arabia in the ’80s.
Astillero said he would just come home a few months every year to spend time with his family.
Thirty-one years after, Astillero proudly showed his greatest achievement, his five children who are now professionals and has given him eight grandchildren.
His children have become doctors, a lawyer, an engineer and a nurse.
“It was not easy, specially ten years ago it was difficult to communicate. I kept writing letters to each of them so I can give them advice, guidance and discipline,” he said.
The award-giving body, headed by the Overseas Welfare Worker’s Association (OWWA), has been providing recognition to outstanding overseas Filipino worker’s for six years now.
Its criteria takes into consideration the family success in terms of finances, education and model behavior and significant contribution to society.
In Riyadh, Astillero made several organizations with fellow OFWs that focuses on sports, arts and religious practices to ease the OFWs’ longing for their homes.
Astillero established the Knights of Rizal in Riyadh, the Filipino Basketball Association of Riyadh and a Christian Religious group.
He also became a Bagong Bayani Awardee in 1992, Outstanding OCW awardee in 1994 and a Special Presidential Awardee for 1996.
“It’s very fulfilling, because they also recognized our sacrifices for our family and our country,” he said.
Chief engineer Candido Caminero, the MOFYA 2011 awardee for the sea-based category, said his poor upbringing drove him to work abroad so his children won’t suffer the same fate that he had as he grew up.
Hailing from Argao Cebu, Caminero said he has been working as a seaman for 40 years.
With nine kids to send to school, Caminero said he has no plans of retiring yet.
“Of course, I miss my children, but when you see them succeed, then all your sacrifices is worth it,” he said.
Caminero established a non-government organization in his hometown in Argao where he helps fund loans and cash grants for members dealing with emergencies like death or medical problems or those wishing to start a business.
“It’s also important to give them a chance to succeed, like the opportunity that was given to me,” he said in Cebuano.
Aside from sending his children to school, Caminero also has several scholars whom he helps send to school.
“The OFWs should work hard so they will succeed,” he said.
Caminero said he has invested in corn mills, poultry and hollow block making.
Astillero said the OFWs should also learn to spend their money wisely and invest it for long-term purposes.
Since his retirement last July, Astillero occupied himself with his agrobusiness in Zamboanga focusing in organic farming.
Mea Codilla, chief of the Programs and Services Division of OWWA-7, said the awardees were assessed based on the wholeness of their family, their success on profession and education, community involvement and financial management.
The awardees received P25,000 cash and a trophy and they will contend with the other national awardees from other region for the National MOFYA awards.
Yesterday, OFWs with their families flocked the Ayala Activity Center to celebrate their family day.
“It’s an opportunity for the family to bond and renew ties,” she said.
Their annual family day was celebrated every December since it is also the time that OFWs go home to spend Christmas with their loved ones.
