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Barugo & Maramag CeCs: OFW Lifelines

Written by Administrator

Wednesday, 30 April 2008

OFWs Two Community eCenters (CeCs) of NCC’s eLGU Project came into their own when the Lebanon crisis erupted and thousands of Filipino overseas workers found themselves caught up in the ferocity of the conflict.

For thousands of families back home, the experience of watching the news unfold on TV channels was almost equally harrowing. They could only imagine the worst happening to their kin in that country, especially those without any means of communication or knowing.

For the CeCs of Barugo, Leyte and Maramag, Bukidnon, they will always be remembered by at least two grateful families whose fears were assuaged in those dark hours.

Engr. Canonce interviewing Ms. de Pedro

Lourdes Aruta de Pedro’s thoughts were all of 25-year old daughter Arlin in Lebanon. Arlin was a veteran of sorts already, having gone to Dubai before when she was 23 and since then, moving to Lebanon with an OFW cousin. No word was heard from Arlin since she had left months ago, unlike the time when she was in Dubai where she called frequently via the barangay cellular number.

Beside herself with anxiety when the Israel-Hezbollah conflict erupted, Lourdes wanted to get in touch with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Lebanon. She found her way to the CeC where staffer Engr. Polcomar Canonce, while consoling her, emailed OWWA officer Mario Antonio seeking word of Arlin.

The response was swift. Just a day later, Antonio replied, saying he personally talked to Arlin and a fellow Filipina working in the same residence. The news was good — Arlin was fine; her employer was a decent person; and he had told Arlin to get in touch with her mother herself.

Lourdes de Pedro was one relieved mother, and a highly grateful one for the speedy assistance the Barugo CeC had extended her.

Liliosa (R) with sister Liezel at Maramag CeC

But another OFW was a cause of worry for a sister this time. Liliosa F. Padayogdog in Beirut was on the mind of her sister Leizel Padayogdog Caguimbal who wanted Liliosa to return home. After learning from neighbors that the local government of Maramag, through the Community eCenter (CeC), offered free phone calls for constituents with family members working abroad, Leizel availed of the service and via the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) facilities of the CeC, spoke directly to Liliosa. Liezel found out that a bomb had destroyed the house of Liliosa’s employer just 15 minutes after they left the downtown residence to take refuge at their rest house on the outskirts of Beirut.

But there was more — Liliosa also told her sister that her employer barred her from moving to the rescue shelter at the Philippine Embassy in Beirut, declaring that whatever befell them should also be her fate.

Due to the complication, Mayor Jose V. Obedencio called the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) requesting Liliosa’s inclusion in the Lebanon repatriation. Liliosa was in the 16th batch of OFWs repatriated by the Philippine government, arriving home last July 31, 2006.

On August 8, 2006, Liliosa called on Mayor Obedencio, thanking him and the staff of the CeC for their contributions to her rescue, saying, “kung wala pa ko ninyo tabangi, dili
unta ko makauli dinhi. Daghang Salamat.” (Without your aid, my return would not be possible. Thank you).

Teacher-applicants during their IT tests

Meanwhile, Barugo CeC also assisted the Department of Education (DepED) in the conduct of screening examinations on the computer competency of teacher applicants.

A total of 38 teacher applicants took the exams last April 28, 2006 at the Community eCenter.

The applicants underwent testing on their acquired computer skills in word processing using MS Word and spreadsheets using MS Excel.