GMA rolls out red carpet for returning OFWs

President Arroyo welcomed yesterday hundreds of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the arrival area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), a symbolic gesture meant to provide warm welcome for the country’s dollar earners.

The President received in batches OFWs who were flown in on board Flights SV864 from Riyadh, Ku411 from Kuwait and CX 919 from Hong Kong, which arrived one after the other from 4:15 to 4:40 p.m.

The President, assisted by Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon and other ranking government officials, shook hands with each returning OFW and greeted them a "Merry Christmas."

Three lucky OFWs — Ricardo Villanueva, Violeta Garcia and Mariasol Demetria — were chosen to receive P50,000 in checks, P50,000 worth of housing bonds and certificates of goodies from the Duty-Free Philippines.

Villanueva, who has been working in Saudi Arabia for 11 years now as a marketing representative at Amta Trading Establishment in Riyadh, said that the surprise gifts will make his wife and two children very happy this Christmas.

Demetria and Garcia, both domestic helpers in Kuwait and Hong Kong, respectively, expressed similar reactions. Demetria, though, is twice lucky as she was reunited this year with her son, who has been placed under the custody of a Kuwaiti social welfare institution following her repatriation from Kuwait in 1999 and the deportation of the child’s father to Egypt last year.

The "heroes’ welcome" for OFWs is part of the yearly "Pamaskong Handog sa OFW" program put together by a diverse set of government and private sector agencies for the workers and their families.

Popular showbiz and sports personalities will also be at the airport starting today to make their arrival in the country more memorable.

Other OFW privileges during the holidays include basic airport courtesies like the express lane and family services booths that were set up to ensure a hassle-free arrival. OFWs are guaranteed to clear the Immigration and Customs areas in less than 30 minutes.

Mrs. Arroyo, under her "Sampaguita Project," earlier picked two streetchildren vending sampaguita leis at busy thoroughfares to become garland givers to the returning OFWs.

While at NAIA, Mrs. Arroyo announced the launching of the government’s newest program for OFWs dubbed the "Kabayanihan Program."

Mrs. Arroyo explained that the program is actually a reintegration project for OFWs and their families both here in the Philippines and in their host countries.

The President reiterated that OFWs should actually be called overseas Filipino investors considering that the $6 to $8 billion in annual foreign exchange remittances they send to their families have been the source of growth for the Philippine economy despite the global economic slowdown.

As part of the program, Mrs. Arroyo said that the government would put up "debriefing desks" in Philippine embassies abroad to assist OFWs in their return home. Meanwhile, debriefing on government services and livelihood opportunities will be made available to OFWs and their families here in the Philippines.