Seminar instills value of money to OFWS in Belgium

By Raquel Bernal-Crisostomo, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau



Filipinos in Belgium are encouraged to save or invest their hard earned money for the future to ensure a comfortable life for those who will be retiring.

In a seminar organized by Samahan ng Manggagawang Pinoy sa Belgium, a micro-financing group pointed out the importance of OFWs’ earnings not only to their families but to the country as well.

“Kung kaya nating pag-igihan at magagamit ng husto ang remittances, mas mapapaigi natin ang ating buhay, matutulungan natin ang ating pamilya, pati na ang sambayanang Pilipino,” said Edwin Salonga of Ateneo de Manila Microfinance Capacity Building Program (SEDPI).

The group also stressed that relatives and families of OFWs should also be informed of how hard it is to earn Euros and to orient them how to be sensible in spending the money they receive.

“I think the most important advise na maibibigay ko sa mga OFW in Europe is magsabi sa kanilang kamag-anak sa Pilipinas kung gaano kahirap ang buhay sa Europa. Na dugo at pawis ang katumbas ng bawat perang kanilang ipinapadala. At dahil dun, sana mas magamit ng tama ng mga kamag-anak nila sa pilipinas yung pera nila”, said Vincent Rapisura, program manager of SEDPI.

Lessons learned
Lolita Galicia, 71, who still works as a nanny for a family in Belgium admitted she learned a valuable lesson from the seminar.

“Kailangan magkaroon ka ng matigas na kalooban para di magiging dependent sa iyo ang pamilya mo. Kung sila ay palahingi, dapat tapusin na. Hindi habang panahon gagawin mo silang palaasa sa iyo,” she said.

She added “Pag uwi ko sa Pilipinas, lahat ng natutunan ko dito sa seminar, ituturo ko rin sa mga apo ko para matutunan nila ang kahalagahan ng perang pinaghirapan.”

Others who attended the seminar realized that while helping family sustain their needs is a noble act to do, it is equally important to save money for “the rainy days” and teach their family to stand on their own feet.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more