Owwa honors 17 women OFWs for exemplary balancing act

For their “exemplary” balancing act as homemakers and achievers, 17 women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were honored by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) during rites marking International Women’s Day.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Owwa Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac handed out award plaques to the OFWs at the “Parangal sa mga Natatanging Kababaihan” held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

The awardees, one from each region, were Myrna Garcia, Ernita Santos, Edna Valdez, Jocelyn Danao, Priscilla Cruz, Marilyn Ligot, Edna Madrigal, Lolita Tadeo, Alicia Refor, Marcelina Castillon, Ma. Melva Esquibel, Bernadette Sedillo, Flor Victoriano, Carmelita Ancheta, Prescilla Panzo, and Tahanie Mohammad Dalmaob.

“For us, all women are winners in their own, unique way since they remind us of their heroism from the moment we are born and throughout our lifetime. The Filipino women migrant workers as the country’s ‘economic heroes’ have shown their courageous side by facing the hardships associated with labor migration, and the display of unconditional love to their children back home,” Bello said.

Bello and Cacdac also honored Owwa trustee Estrella Mai Añonuevo, representative of the women sector, for her contributions to the agency, including the development of a financial literacy program for returning OFWs.

In his speech, Bello advised all women, whether working here or overseas, to “believe in yourself and you will succeed in life” as he referred to the accounts of three speakers who recounted their transition from mere employees to becoming employers themselves and innovators in fields of their choice.

One of the OFWs-turned-entrepreneurs who spoke at the gathering was Myrna Padilla, a former domestic whose interest in computers was piqued by one of her employers.

She is the founder and chief executive officer of Mynd Consulting, a business process outsourcing company.

Another speaker, Fe Lao, a former nurse, narrated her shift to agribusiness and her successful candidacy as councilor of Bansalan, Davao del Sur.