The face of OFWs in Israel

MANILA, Philippines - Rose Fostanes became the face of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Israel after winning the first edition of X-Factor Israel. These days, however, she is the “poster girl” of the good international relationship between the Philippines and Israel. This long-standing friendship started when the administration of then President Manuel L. Quezon extended  kindness and compassion to the Jewish refugees of the Holocaust.   

“I was happy that (Israeli) Ambassador (Effie Ben Matityau to the Philippines) had given me the opportunity to sing,” said Rose of her participation in the recently-concluded Thank You Philippines Friendship Concert, an event that expressed Israel’s gratefulness to Filipinos.

“I only learned about the story (like) the Holocaust victims and the refugees after I won the X-Factor Israel,” recalls Rose. “Our (Philippine) ambassador there showed me the pictures on the wall. I was touched; not all Israeli knew about it that the Philippines was the only country that welcomed all these refugees. That explains why Israeli love Filipinos.”

This love is always felt by Rose every time she graces a concert along with Israeli big artists. “I always get a warm welcome and (I’m happy) how they introduce me like we should not only love Rose just because of her singing… but because of that story they had learned (about the Philippines and Israel). At nagpapalakpakan sila.”

In 2007, Rose worked as a caregiver in Israel after finding greener pastures in Egypt and Lebanon. During her rest days, she performed with a band, composed of fellow caregivers, in a small joint. “We would meet every Friday and Saturday.” Through singing part-time, Rose met Israeli who eventually became her friends and supporters. One of them accompanied her to the X- Factor Israel audition.   

“I didn’t know how to read and write Hebrew,” she shares. And it was the fan who filled up the application form for Rose and explained all the details to her. After, Rose was off to a round of auditions and got four yes — and a standing ovation. As you and I know, she was the eventual winner.

“Parang mas lalong mahirap yata (Things seem to have become tougher),” says Rose of her singer status in Israel. “Yung mga dati mong ginagawa ay di mo na pwedeng magawa ngayon (There are things I can no longer do now). May limit na yun ngayon. I have to control my temper, I have to stay behaved always.” With her foreign expert visa, Rose cannot work part-time as caregiver. 

Part of the changes in her life is losing her privacy. “Imbes na lalabas ako ng umaga, napapalitan at nagiging gabi (I go out in the evening instead of morning). If I have an errand to do which will take me for about 10 minutes, I’ll finish it in 30 minutes because people ask me for photo ops. Masaya naman.”

Asked about the international release of her eponymous debut album in the Philippines, Rose replied, “Dahil kasi lagi kaming nag-bibiyahe, parang nawala yung focus sa album.” Rose and her team would receive invitations for shows abroad like in Australia and the US. In Israel, she has already released her first single Walk Away and the feedback is good.  

“Okey naman (The sales are doing good),” she says. “Karamihan sa kanila (Israeli), gusto nila Hebrew (songs). Meron din namang tao na gusto ang English (Most Israeli prefer songs in Hebrew, but there are those who like English tunes). Gusto nilang mangyari sa Israel na magkaroon din ako ng Hebrew song (They want me to record a Hebrew song). Kasi nga may accent ako na hindi ko makuha yung alphabet nila. (But I couldn’t work on the correct accent). Tama naman sila na maganda ang pagkakanta mo, halos maiyak na kami. Bigla na lang na may words na iba ang pandinig namin (They would tell me that my singing is very good and heartfelt but they would hear words that sound and mean different to them, which make them laugh). Kaya natatawa sila.” With that, Rose plans to enter a local school, where she can enhance her speaking skills in Hebrew.

Meantime, Rose is all eyes on fulfilling her recording career in Israel and in becoming the face of Filipinos there.