Here are some important information on how the Balikabayanihan Program is helping OFWs and their families find success in their respective homes.
The Balikabayanihan Program is an undertaking that aims to foster
volunteerism among Filipinos to help Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who
are returning back home.
How The Balikabayanihan Program Is Helping Returning OFWs
The Balikabayanihan Program is spearheaded by NEDA-Philippine National
Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency and Atikha, a non-government
organization working with OFWs and their families to help them make sound
financial decisions in addition to social services.
The Balikabayanihan Program is a call for partnership by the Overseas Filipino
organizations with government agencies, local government units, and the
private sector to help repatriated OFWs by providing the needed resources, such
as manpower, funds, or calling forth their network of volunteers to mentor
those OFWs.
The plight of OFWs
Many of us are familiar with the challenges faced by OFWs. For many years,
even before the COVID-19 pandemic happened, unfortunate stories of returning
OFWs abound.
On many occasions, these OFWs work abroad for high-paying jobs to save and send money to their families back home. However, their stories aren’t always guaranteed a happy ending. In fact, many of them need help,
especially when they are forced to return home.
They dreamt big, but it wasn’t an easy journey.
“Dahil ang pagkakaakala ko ay ang pagiging OFW ang sagot sa lahat ng naging
problemang financial namin at gusto kong maiahon ang aking pamilya at
mapagtapos ang aking anak,” said returning OFW Marites Coronado. The journey, however, wasn’t simple.
Others were just not as lucky.
Take the case of another former OFW, Alma Palafox. She recounted: “Hindi po ako sini-suwerte sa napupuntahan na bansa. Laging may masamang
nangyayari po sa akin. At minsan na rin muntik na akong hindi nakabalik ng
Pinas ng buhay. Kaya hindi ko po natatapos kontrata ko.”
Gerlie Austria shares a similar experience but remains grateful despite the hardships she endured abroad. “Hindi man po ako naging maswerte sa ibang bansa, pero nagpapasalamat po ako
sa Panginoong Diyos at ako po ay nakauwi nang buhay.”
They worked hard and ended up with nothing.
Myrna Peñosa Corporal recalled the gloom she felt when she decided to go back to her family. “Noong nagsabi ako sa amo ko na ibalik na ako sa agency, dinala po nila ako
sa Labor. Ang unang pumasok sa isip ko at naiyak ako, ‘Paano na ang pamilya
ko? Uuwi ako na walang pera at naipon,” said Corporal.
Coronado, Palafox, Austria, and Corporal are just a few of the many OFWs who
were forced to go back home even if they haven’t achieved yet the financial
goals they set for themselves.
Then the pandemic happened.
Melanie Labera, a returning OFW whose plan to resume her work abroad was put
on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic, benefitted from the program. “Nang umuwi ako ng Pilipinas, nagkataon naman na pandemic. Gusto ko sana
bumalik [abroad], pero di na ako makabalik. Kaya malaki ang pasasalamat ko
sa programang ito, pati sa BPI. May konting puhunan naman ako sa aking
tindahan, pero konti lang. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako na nadagdagan dahil sa
inyo.”
For her part, Austria, also a program beneficiary, said, “Nang makabalik po ako sa Pilipinas, isa po ako sa maswerteng napili ng
Atikha na mabigyan ng tulong upang ako’y makapagsimula ulit sa aking buhay.
Naging masaya po ako at nagkaroon ng pag-asa sa buhay. Ngayon po ay natupad
ang isa kong pangarap na makabili ng makina.”
What the Balikabayanihan Program has in store for OFWs
The Balikabayanihan Program offers a well-rounded approach to help OFWs who
are back home, especially those who are unsuccessful abroad, pick up the
pieces and find livelihood opportunities.
Returning OFWs can take advantage of the following:
- Psychosocial services, including legal assistance, orientation to laws regarding migration, guidance and counseling services, reintegration program, mentoring, and case management.
- Training programs, such as entrepreneurial training, enterprise development, livelihood training for women, financial literacy, food and farm production, youth empowerment and development, marketing assistance, tourism training, and even free online courses.
- Business opportunities, like livelihood development grants, support services, poultry and piggery opportunities, financial forums, entrepreneurial coaching, and digital marketing.
- Financial services, like loans for small businesses, financial, medical, and burial assistance; livelihood assistance, seminars, guidance, and counseling, check-ups, and investment opportunities.
- Mentoring services, such as psychosocial services, crisis assistance, career coaching, and referral programs.
These programs are implemented through local government units as well as
partner and volunteer organizations and are designed to help get OFWs and
their families back on their feet.
Financial empowerment
One of the staunch supporters of the Balikabayanihan campaign is the Bank of
the Philippine Islands (BPI).
As a financial institution, BPI aims to empower repatriated OFWs by helping them manage their finances through learning webinars and by mobilizing volunteers and sponsors. BPI implements its programs through its different
business units: BPI Foundation, BPI-Philam, and Remittance and Fund Transfers.
Reggie Cariaso, BPI Head of Corporate Banking Strategy, Products, and Support remarked, “This pandemic has been hard on everyone, but repatriated OFWs and their families have been particularly affected. OFWs have done so much to uplift our entire nation’s economy over the decades. It’s only right that we
stand by them now and help them get back on their feet and establish a
financially secure life for themselves and their families.”
“Napakaganda po ng aking karanasan dahil nagkaroon po ako ng pag-asa sa
buhay at talagang ipinangako ko po sa aking sarili na pagbubutihin ko po
itong tulong na ibinigay sa akin ng Atikha at BPI Pamana Padala. At ang
nagustuhan ko po dito ay ang mga taong kasapi dito na maaayos ang
pakikitungo at napakamapagkumbaba at napakababait upang matulungan kaming
lahat,” said Coronado.
BPI Foundation conducts mentoring sessions for OFWs with BPI Unibankers serving as volunteer advisors. For its part, BPI Philam provides free COVID-19
insurance coverage worth P200,000. BPI’s Remittance and Fund Transfers offers financial grants and monthly mentoring sessions for chosen OFWs and instills the value of saving using their BPI Pamana Padala account.
With opportunities such as the Balikabayanihan Program, returning OFWs are
more empowered than ever to try their luck in their home country.
Palafox said, “Dito nalang po ako sa Pinas. Kahit mahirap po basta’t sama-sama kami ng mga
anak ko. Kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa Balikabayanihan at sa BPI. Ang tanging
hinahangad ko po sa aking sarili ay mapaunlad ko ang munting negosyo at
magkaroon ng maraming kaalaman."
Corporal shared another insight: "Natutunan ko po sa Balikbayanihan na kailangan po tayung magtulungan para
makabangon ulit sa hamon ng buhay."
Epilogue
OFWs sacrifice so much for their families and for our country. While many of
those OFWs have found success abroad, some of them were met with unfortunate
circumstances forcing them to abandon their dreams and go back home
empty-handed.
It’s saddening to hear those unsuccessful stories, however, it’s also good
that there is a Balikabayanihan Program.
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This is such a great initiative! OFWs will be provided with much-needed financial assistance for them to get started.
ReplyDeleteThe struggles and sacrifice that OFW’s go through should be recognized and im super grateful that programs like this that help them exists!
ReplyDeleteWorking abroad is really not a pleasant experience for many of them. My brother was an engineer in Japan for 4 years but he decided he wasn't going to go back. My husband's dad was a computer programmer in Saudi and he did the same. the Mental and emotional challenge can be too much for many of our kababayans, not to mention, the pysical abuses some of them experience, I'm glad they have programs like this to look after these people.
ReplyDeleteGlad that there are services and support available for many returning OFWs. Families back home must also find ways to work and not depend on a single income of an OFW. It is not sustainable.
ReplyDeleteYung ganitong deeds ang lalong makakapamahal ka sa isang company ano? kahit nakakainis na merong fees same bank transfer etc. pero isipin ko na lang na sa gantong advocacy yun napupunta.
ReplyDeleteBeing an OFW is hard work. The distance and separation from family is what makes it extra tough. I'm glad that there are programs such as Balikabayanihan Program that help and empower returning OFW's who, unfortunately didn't get to stay at their jobs.
ReplyDeleteDbest po tlga BPI pgdating sa mga ofw tulad ko, at yan din ang gamit ko ngayon, and this kind of opportunity, using balikbayan program, was truly helpful at makakabawas na sa mga iniisip .. hindi kasi talaga nawawala ang problema ng mga ofw kh8 san man yan.. thanks for this BPI Family, and also for sharing daddy Ivan..
ReplyDeleteBeing an ofw is not easy especially that there is pandemic. I love that there's Balikabayanihan Program who can give our ofw all the support that they need.
ReplyDeleteWow ang nice naman po nito.. Lalo na sa mga ofw , sobrang magandang project po ito lalo na ngayong pandemic . I love that there's Balikbayan Program .. Godbless po.
ReplyDeleteGood news po ito sa ating mga balikbayan .Ganda ng Balikabayanihan Program malaking tulong para sa mga kababayan natin na hirap pa makabalik sa ibang para magkaroon sila ng puhunan para sa small business.Kudos din sa BPI.
ReplyDeleteGaling ng BPI . Napakaganda ng balikbayan program na ito . Very helpful tlga ito sa mga ofw , lalo pa my mga kamag anak din ako na nag ofw . Malaking tulong sknila ito . Thankyou for sharing this 😍❤️(Apple Joy Camañero)
ReplyDelete