Fly
THE Center promises to provide OFWs online search for jobs overseas, training in entrepreneurship, psychological help, and re-tooling.
The last one dampened the interest of OFWs like Eden de Castro Villa who told the OFWJC that what she and others like her need more is money.
Its a good initiative, though I hope that the government would still support us financially even if we already started with our businesses, de Castro Villa, a former teacher, said in Tagalog.
Though she said her fondness for creating items out of native materials started in high school, her one-year stay work as a domestic worker in Hong Kong helped her develop a knack for craft works.
Thus, when she returned home to the northern Philippine province of La Union in 1999, she went into business.
Lacking capital, De Castro Villa relied on the money sent by her husband Lowell, who was then working in Singapore.
For Perez, it was through a quarter-of-a-million peso loan from OWWA that jumpstarted his business expansion.
Pereze and Castro Villa, however, wouldnt enjoy the Centers services.
The Center would only accommodate Filipinos going abroad for work beginning September 2003. But if they didnt pay the US$25 membership fee to OWWA, they wont be eligible for getting help from the government agency.
Still, for Bolos, its a start.
Just like any [government] endeavors, you [could only] hope for the best, Bolos said.
At least, he added, returning OFWs have something to refer to for help like the Center.
It [the Center] could give them some sort of idea [of what to do with their savings], Bolos said. But on how successful its going to be, I dont know. It all depends on the leadership, and on the [public officials] desire and determination to let it fly. OFW Journalism Consortium
Pinoy Life Abroad
