Pro cagers answer call of duty, assist OFWs, kin

Ginebra San Miguel guard Aries Dimaunahan had a chance to call his brother in Kuwait, teammate Elmer Lago was more than just pleased in assisting a lady from Valenzuela City place a call to her sister in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and a persistent Bong Ravena of Talk n Text would not let technical difficulties get in his way so that he could place a call to Bahrain in behalf of an elderly lady from Pandacan.

There were just a few of the scenes that transpired when players from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) came Sunday night to assist callers in the Office of the President’s Oplan Kalinga: Kumustahan calling center at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium (NAS).

Also at the calling center who manned the telephone lines were Red Bull’s Mick Penisi, Jimwell Torion, Junthy Valenzuela and Nelson Asaytono and Ginebra’s Sunday Salvacion.

There are currently more than 200 telephone lines installed at the NAS to accommodate free calls from the families, relatives and friend of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working in the Middle East, Israel and Turkey.

"It is indeed heartwarming that our famous PBA players have found time to assist our countrymen in placing their calls to their relatives and friends in the Middle East," said Press Secretary Hernani Braganza.

The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) is spearheading Oplan Kalinga on orders of President Arroyo to exhaust all efforts to help alleviate the plight of OFWs during this time of conflict in the Middle East.

And in pursuit of such a mandate, the OPS has entered into an agreement with the PBA to bring the Oplan Kalinga: Kumustahan calling center to PBA game venues starting tomorrow at the Makati Coliseum.

A composite team from the telecommunications companies rendering free service at the NAS, OPS, Presidential Action Center (PACE) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has been formed to provide free telephone calls to the Middle East, Israel and Turkey at the PBA games venues.

"This is our own small way of bringing the services of the government to the people. What better way to do this than bring the Kumustahan calling center to the PBA?" Braganza said.