CBCP to launch website for OFWs' holiday greetings

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos living abroad can now shout their Christmas greetings to their countrymen via a website created by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) Media Office.

CBCP Media Office director Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III said they have started a website called Paskong Pilipino sa Mundo (www.cbcpmedia.com/pasko) to help overseas Filipino workers relay their Christmas greetings through audio or video.

“We would encourage all the Filipinos to greet the Filipino people either in the form of video or audio,” he said. “They could send it to us and we screen it and would post them in the site.”

Quitorio said the video must not exceed five minutes, while audio would not have a time limit.

Messages to families are discouraged since these may be considered too personal.

The website could be accessed or viewed by the public.

Quitorio said it would lessen the loneliness of OFWs and help spread the Christmas cheer to Filipinos all over the world.

About nine million to 11 million Filipinos are living in almost 200 countries.

Quitorio said the website would primarily cater to OFWs spending the holidays out at sea or in countries where they are prohibited from observing Christian traditions.

OFWs could also listen to the reflections of selected priests through the website, he added. Quitorio said they have also posted homilies for the four Sundays of Advent, Christmas and New Year.

“If they cannot hear Mass, we would be uploading homilies and reflections until Christmas and New Year,” he said.

However, listening to homilies and reflections through the website do not exempt the faithful, who have access to Catholic churches and can freely practice their religion, from attending Mass, Quitorio said.