‘Bagong Bayani’ awardees honored in Malacanang

President Marcos and First Lady pose with Bagong Bayani awardees and DMW officials

For the first time since 2011, the biennial Bagong Bayani awards held to honor outstanding overseas Filipino workers, was held at the Malacanang Palace on Thursday, Nov 20, with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and his wife, First Lady Liza A. Marcos, leading the tribute.

In his speech, President Marcos thanked the OFW awardees, saying  “kayo ang pinakamagandang larawan ng kakayahan at kasipagan ng mga Pilipino.” (You project the best image of the competency and industriousness of the Filipino).

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Marcos promised that in turn, the government through the Department of Migrant Workers, would continue to elevate protection for OFWs, streamline its operations, “and ensure that every OFW is treated as the hero that they are.”

HK's Eva Mapa shows her trophy in photo with son Kean

The new Bagong Bayani awardees include Eva Rasgo Mapa, a domestic worker in Hong Kong, who has been using her considerable talent in massage therapy to provide relief to mobility-impaired Filipinos and her own funds to conduct free blood pressure and blood glucose test to OFWs on her days off.

Mapa, who heads the OFW group World Medical Support (Womed) Hong Kong won the community and social service award.

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Also among the awardees was Camille Jesalva-Junio, a former caregiver in Israel whose courage and presence of mind during a Hamas invasion in October 2023, made her the first-ever recipient of the Susan “Toots” V. Ople award.

Camille also won recognition from the Israeli government for saving the life of her 95-year-old female ward and herself, by offering her US$370 savings and mobile phone to militants who entered their house in Kibbutz Nirim in October last year.

The Marcos couple paid special attention to Camille during a brief chat with the awardees after they were each handed a trophy and a medal. A misty-eyed First Lady told Camille, “You made me cry,” referring to the bravery the OFW had shown during the Hamas raid.

Camille proudly shows off her trophy

During their short encounter, Mrs Marcos took note of the heavily pregnant Camille and jokingly said, “What are you going to call you baby, Martyr? To which the OFW quickly replied, “Hero.”

The only awardee who was unable to attend the ceremonies was “best employee” Romaline Dizon Isla, an engineer based in Qatar. Her mother Evangeline who received the award in her behalf, said Romaline or Roma, had just started working for a new company and could not yet take time off.

Evangeline, who revealed having been an OFW herself, said she decided  to work as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong so she could send her four children to college. “I did not want them to become domestic helper and experience the same hardships that I had to go through,” she said.

The other awardees were Michael Palic Conjusta for culture and the arts,  Capt. Rolly Tenorio Lapinig and the 18 Filipino crew of MV MSC Aube F for heroic art(Heroic Act), and successful reintegration awardees Elaine Vianca G. Figueroa, Ruellyn S. Ribon, and Alexander Inday Sebastian. Capt. Gaudencio C. Morales who received the Capt.Gregorio S. Oca Achievement Award, gave the response on behalf of all the awardees.

The 24-hour tribute to the new Bagong Bayani group started with a dinner with DMW officials at the Mall of Asia on Thursday, followed by the breakfast reception at Malacanang, lunch in Intramuros, and the unveiling of the marker with their names at the Wall of Honor (Bantayog ng mga Bagong Bayani) on the DMW grounds.

Awardees pose by the Wall of Honor where their names are permanently etched

On top of their trophies, medals and names on a plaque in the Wall of Honour, each awardee was also handed a token financial reward from the DMW.  Most importantly, they were attentively served by DMW staff, from getting to and from the events venues to ensuring they had enough to eat throughout the day.

The Bagong Bayani Awards which was created in line with a presidential decree issued in 1983 by the late former president Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr., has honored more than 1,700 OFWs since 1989.

 

Ex-HK OFWs shine in DMW’s tribute to women

 

A standee honoring Rodelia is among those displayed at the Women's Bazaar

Three former domestic workers in Hong Kong are sharing the spotlight in the ongoing Women’s Bazaar launched by the Department of Migrant Workers on Mar 3 in celebration of National Women’s Month.

Two of them were chosen to be among a group of former overseas Filipino workers turned entrepreneurs who showed off their products at the bazaar, while one, Rodelia Pedro, was honored for the extraordinary contribution to the migrants community in Hong Kong.

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Rodelia was the founder of the Domestic Workers Corner in Hong Kong, which pioneered a structured and immediate relief channel for Filipino migrant workers facing challenges in their work, from learning how to cook Cantonese cuisine, to linking up abused workers with rescue workers.

For her exemplary work in helping her fellow migrants, Rodelia was named Bagong Bayani for community and sociala service in 2021, and honored as an outstanding OFW in this year’s celebration of Women’s Month.

Secretary Cacdac inspects native outfits made by OFWs from the Cordilleras

She was lauded along with 2021 Natatanging Bagong Bayani Awardee Nurse Divina Digap and fellow Bagong Bayani Awardee Regina Vallejo; as well as Marine Captain Jasmine Lavarda, teachers Grace Valencia and Cherry Dangan and entrepreneur Matilda Leo.

Meanwhile, two other former HK OFWs who have successfully launched their own businesses  after going home for good were among 18 women entrepreneurs from the “Buy Local, By OFW” program of DMW who were featured in the bazaar.

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They are Cristina Cayat and Irene Balanoy, both from Baguio City, who have teamed up to showcase the best products from the Cordilleras, from bottled jams and coffee to modern-day Igorot outfits.

Cris poses by the booth she shared with Irene at the Panagbenga festival

Cristina and Irene have partnered in a number of ventures lately, including their highly successful participation in the famous Panagbenga festival of Baguio City this year. Currently, they are also takig part in another bazaar at Camp John Hay in the city.

Cristina decided to return home last year, after a spike in demand for the Igorot costumes and accessories she designed and executed in her spare time in Hong Kong, where she had worked for three decades.

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Irene, on the other hand, is a single mother who decided to go back home during the pandemic to look after her three children.

They are among OFW entrepreneurs included in the BLBO program which is part of DMW’s reintegration efforts with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other government and non-government agencies.

The Women’s Bazaar will run until Mar 31 at the DMW building in Mandaluyong City.

 

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Womed’s Eva Mapa is HK’s Bagong Bayani 2025

 

Eva at the Philippine Consulate, where her group regularly offers health check-ups to OFWs

She has experienced many hardships in the 23 years that she has been an overseas Filipino worker, from being fed only once a day in Lebanon, to being forced to change religions in Dubai, then being advised to go for a long vacation after contracting typhoid fever.

But through it all, 45-year-old Eva Rasgo Mapa remained steadfast and focused, determined to endure the hardship for her family’s sake. She quit school at 22 so she could help provide for her big family, and continued taking on the role of breadwinner after getting married and having her own child.

Her arrival in Hong Kong in 2012 opened new doors for her as a community volunteer, doing mostly massage therapy and reflexology on fellow OFWs who do back-breaking works for the most part of the week.

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Two years later she was named president of World Medical Support (Womed) Hong Kong, taking over the work done by the group’s founder Josephine Cajada, of providing free blood pressure and glucose tests to OFWs who visit the Philippine Consulate General on Sundays.

Week after week her team continued the free service, even at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and even took on the extra task of directing OFWs on where to go for the services they need from the consulate and its attached agencies.

Eva provides healing touch to an OFW hurt during taekwondo practice

She did all these almost as fervently as she performed the duties of a faithful member of the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of God), a religion she embraced soon after she arrived in Hong Kong, and which provided her with the initial training to help heal people with her touch.

Now, after more than two decades of being an exemplary OFW, Eva has been given due recognition by the Philippine government, which conferred on her this year’s Bagong Bayani for Community and Social Service, the only one from Hong Kong to have been accorded the rare honor.

The Womed HK team provides free glucose and blood pressure checkups to OFWs on Sundays

According to organizers Bagong Bayani Foundation, Inc. (BBFI), DMW and OWWA, the award is conferred on the country’s outstanding OFWs “who have made significant efforts in fostering goodwill among peoples of the world, enhancing the image of the Filipino as a competent, responsible worker and dignified worker, contributing to the socio-economic development of their communities and the country as a whole.”

Eva is rightfully honored by the recognition. “Talagang na overwhelmed ako at grateful na na appreciate naman at na-acknowledge yung contribution ko sa community,” she said. (I was truly overwhelmed and grateful that my contribution to the community was appreciated and acknowledged).

Although she is very excited about going home next month to receive the award from no less than President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., she has no illusions that it will help her to finally achieve financial freedom, as she has yet to finish building her “dream house” in her Aklan hometown.

“Noong mag OFW ako, hinanda ko na ang sarili ko na tiisin ang lahat para makatulong sa pamilya ko,” Eva says. And that includes not just putting the final touches to three-million-peso home, but also providing a secure future for her son, who is now in college.

But if her decades of perseverance, dedication to work and reputation for having a healing touch are anything to go by, Eva will not only survive, but thrive, long after she goes home for good.

 

Ex-HK OFW is mom to a ‘Bagong Bayani’

 

Nanay Evangeline is congratulated by President Bongbong Marcos after being introduced
by DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac at the Bagong Bayani awards

Former Hong Kong domestic worker Evangeline Isla was given special mention by Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac in a Facebook post on Saturday, Nov. 22, after she represented her engineer-daughter at the Bagong Bayani awards in Malacanang two days earlier.

Nanay Evangeline proudly stood on the podium at Malacanang's ceremonial hall in place of her daughter, Qatar-based engineer Romaline Isla, who was named “outstanding employee.”

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Secretary Cacdac said in his post, “Maari pong sabihin na dalawang OFWs po ang pinarangalan natin sa isang tropeo at medalya.” (It could be said that we honored two OFWs with a trophy and a medal).

“Malugod po silang kinilala ng ating mahal na Pangulo sa “Palace of the People”. (Both were warmly received by our beloved President in the ‘Palace of the People.’)

Roma's poster shot during the awards rites

Nanay Evangeline told The SUN that she began her OFW journey in Saudi Arabia together with her husband Rolando where they both worked for five years, before she moved on, alone, to Hong Kong, where she continued working as a domestic helper for another 15 years.

In Hong Kong, Nanay Evangeline had some of his worst experiences as an OFW, including being shouted at and poked in the face by her female employer from the mainland.

“Mabuti na lang at mabait ang asawa niya na Australyano kaya ako nakatagal,” she told The SUN. (Luckily, her husband who is Australian, was nice, so I managed to hold on).

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She was also lucky in that her husband agreed to settle down in their Pangasinan hometown so he could do odd carpentry jobs while looking after their four children.

It was her children, the eldest of whom was Romaline or Roma, who kept her going, said Nanay Evangeline.

“Gusto ko silang makatapos lahat. Ayaw ko silang matulad sa akin na domestic helper,” she said, the memory still fresh in her mind. (I wanted all of them to complete their studies. I did not want any of them to become a domestic helper like me).

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Her effort paid off when Roma went abroad, not as a domestic helper, but as an accomplished engineer, and quickly rose through the ranks.

Recently, Roma moved on to a renowned construction firm in Doha where she was made an environmental manager, and because she could not yet go on vacation leave, asked the person who played a key part in her success - her mother - to represent her at the awards rites.

Seeing Roma so honored made Nanay Evangeline doubly proud and happy, for she not only fulfilled her wishes for her children, her daughter also showed how an OFW could shine and help uplift the country abroad.

 

'Bayle sa Kalye’: showcase of the Philippines’ rich and vibrant culture

The country's incomparable mangoes take centerstage in this colorful dance number

 It may have lasted an hour and a half, but those who watched the colorful and vibrant dancing by various groups of overseas Filipino workers at the “Bayle sa Kalye” segment of the Kapangyawan Festival on June 9 hardly felt the passing of time.

As before, OFW-driver Lee Ann E. Mas did not disappoint with her on-point choreography, conceptualization and direction of the segment that featured the country’s various native dances performed at a fast but fun pace.

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The near-flawless performance of OFWs belonging to FLAG (Federation of Luzon Active Groups) and Philippine Alliance of Hong Kong made this part easily the most-admired  during the day-long program held to celebrate the 126^th Philippine Independence Day.

Mas joins finale with the Filipinos' favorite mascot, Jollibee

In introducing “Balye sa Kalye”, Mas said the segment was also a tribute to the Philippines’  unsung heroes who continue to make the country proud. Here is what she had written to introduce the show: 

“Bayle sa Kalye showcases our rich and vibrant culture…ang ganda ng Pinas at ang tapang at lakas ng bawat Pilipino. (the beauty of the Philippines and the bravery and strength of every Filipino).

The country's everyday heroes are featured in the giant billboards paraded to start the segment

“Ang Bayle sa Kalye ay nagbibigay-pugay din sa mga Bagong Bayani sa makabagong panahon.

“Ngayon, sana ay mabigyan ng pagkakataon na mayakap at makilala ang mukha ng mga bayani…

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“Mukha na hindi man napatayuan ng bantayog, o kinailangang mag-alay ng buhay… pero patuloy na nagpapakita ng kanilang lakas, tapang at ganda hindi lang sa bansang sinilangan kundi maging sa buong mundo.

“Minsan nababago na ang mga idolo at (kinikilalang) bayani ng mga kabataan ngayon…pero sana ang prinsipyo ng mga bagong mukha ng bayani na lumalaban sa buhay ay mabigyan din ng pagkakataon…

The iconic 'sorbetero' delights the crowd

“Sana hindi maiwan sa dilim ang ipinaglalaban nilang mithiin..dahil sila ang lumalaban para sa kalayaan, karapatan at pagpapahalaga sa lupang tinubuan.

“Sama-sama nating salubungin ang magandang bukas…sabay-sabay na abutin ang tagumpay..dahil tiwala sa Diyos ang ating sandata’s gabay.”

(The full video of “Bayle sa Kalye” can be found here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=7FYyBoHBS36aIHvO&v=NzZc3lnEa50&feature=youtu.be 

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Duterte treats HK Pinoys to trademark speech

By Vir B. Lumicao

President Rodrigo Duterte, regaling Hong Kong-based Filipinos on May 13 to his brand of public speaking, announced a series of measures meant to provide relief to overseas Filipino workers.
Foremost among these  is the creation of a Department of OFWs and an OFW Bank to serve the needs of the country’s estimated 10 million overseas workers.

Duterte’s announcement confirmed plans disclosed in February by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, and reportedly affirmed earlier in the day to militant OFW leaders. However, the president held back information on new directions for the overseas employment certificates (OEC) which Bello whispered to him in the middle of his speech.

Duterte addressed a select group of about 400 Filipino religious leaders, businessmen, professionals and household workers in Hong Kong in his first meeting with them since he became president in June last year. He stopped over on his way to the two-day “One Belt, One Road” forum in Beijing starting May 14.

Spicing up his lengthy impromptu speech with his trademark humor, expletives, jokes about women and tirades at Catholic bishops and media-owning “oligarchs”, the President reaffirmed his resolve to rid the government of corruption and continue his campaign against drugs.

The former Davao mayor used his usual cusswords to cheers from his supporters as he blasted the bishops for hitting his bloody campaign against drugs and his fondness for women, and those who were giving OFWs a hard time. “Kung sila ang sinasabi na mga bagong bayani natin, bakit pinahihirapan nyo ang mga bagong bayani? Bakit binubuksan mo ang bagahe? ‘Stop it! I don’t like it,’ sabi ko. Kasi kung may magbubukas ng bagahe niyo,  there has to be a compelling reason,” he said. Customs officers at NAIA open baggage only on the back of outside information.

He advised OFWs not to bring home “shabu” when they go on vacation. “Baka mamaya, instead of your relatives going to you para sa pasalubong, pupunta sila may dalang abuloy,” he  added.
Warning those in the drugs trade, he said: “Do not destroy the country, do not destroy the Philippines.”

On his trip to Beijing, Duterte said China would build two bridges across the Pasig River for free to help boost economic activity such as trade and tourism. “At this moment I can only thank China profusely for helping us without conditions,” he said.

Duterte said joining the “One Belt, One Road” economic initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping would allow his government to promote trade in agricultural products with other countries.

Duterte said that as the country’s economy is agriculture-based, it needs to find markets for its farm products. He said China is willing to help the Philippines revive its economy without any conditions because that country is awash with money.

“Mine is really to provide employment, so I invite people to invest in the Philippines,” he added.
“Today, walang akong masabi except my profuse thanks to China for helping us out. Remember that there was a time when lahat ng export natin ay hindi tinatanggap dito,” Duterte said.

About 100 people who wanted to see their president were refused entry to Regal Airport Hotel by the strict security, made up of  Hong Kong Police’s Special Branch and personnel of the Malacanang Presidential Security Group.

Representatives of militant groups who
had invitations were held off two and a half hours
before being allowed in and asked to sit in the last rows.
(Photo by Bing Yungco)

Among those refused entry were Bayan Hong Kong & Macau, and Unifil Hong Kong officers led by Eman Villanueva, who said they had invitations and were invited by Bello to the meeting after a dialogue at the Consulate. “Ayaw silang papasukin ng PSG,” said Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre.
Consul General Bernardita Catalla, in her welcome speech,  apologized to those who were not allowed in.  “Humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa napakaraming gustong makita si Presidente ngunit di namin napagbigyan dahil sa kakulangan ng lugar at oras...”

But she was interrupted noisily by a group of Duterte supporters who shouted, “Dito, maraming bakante!”

Catalla replied, “Nais nating ipaalala na mayroon tayong security arrangements na sinusunod.”
But in a lengthy Facebook post afterwards, Villanueva challenged the decision to ban them from the venue initially, and made to wait for more than two hours being finally allowed in.

“Maraming dapat ipaliwanag mga kinauukulan sa Konsulado.Hindi dapat palampasin  ang nangyaring  pambabastos sa mga progresibo at lehitimong OFW,” said Villanueva .

If the Consulate’s purpose was as they said, they did  not want to embarrass the President, then Villanueva said they did exactly that when they banned the militants  as it led to commotion and undue publicity from the international media.

Walang kaligtasan sa dagdag na pagpiga

“Piga pa more!” Ito ang pakutyang sinasabi ng mga OFW sa napipintong pagpapatupad ng pamahalaan sa Universal Health Care Act na ipinasa ng Senado noong Okt 11 at pinirmahan ng Pangulong Duterte noong Peb 20.

Maganda ang batayang layunin ng nasabing batas – ang pagkakaloob ng gobyerno sa lahat ng mamamayang Pilipino ng health insurance coverage upang maipapagamot nila ang kanilang karamdaman.

Ang pagsasabatas ng panukalang iyan ay bunsod ng katotohanang maraming Pilipino ang namamatay sa sakit nang hindi nakapagpagamot dahil hindi nila nakakayanan ang mataas na bayad sa pagpapagamot.

Ayon sa Pangulo, sa pamamagitan ng awtomatikong paglilista sa mga mamamayan sa National Health Insurance Program at pagpapalawak sa saklaw ng PhilHealth, ginagarantiyahan ng batas ang pagkakaloob ng de-kalidad at murang serbisyong pangkalusugan sa lahat.

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Sa ilalim ng bagong batas na iyan, isasama sa saklaw ng PhilHealth ang libreng konsultasyon at pagsusuri sa laboratoryo at iba pang mga diagnostic test.

Itinatadhana rin ng Universal Health Care Act na isasali tayong lahat na mga Pilipino, kabilang na ang mga OFW, sa PhilHealth na popondohan ng kontribusyon ng mga OFW sa nasabing programang pangkalusugan.

Dahil sa itinatakda ito ng batas, hindi makaiiwas ang mga OFW sa sapilitang pagkaltas sa kita nila upang mapondohan ang nasabing programa. Dahil dito, asahan nating lalaki nang ilang ibayo ang kinakaltas na taunang kontribusyon ng mga OFW sa PhilHealth.

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Ang isang OFW na miyembro ng PhilHealth ay nagbabayad sa ngayon ng PhP2,400 bawat taon. Sa pagpapatupad ng Universal Health Care Act, iyan ay magiging PhP6,864 bawat taon, ayon sa komputasyon ng isang tagapagtaguyod ng mga OFW.

Ang mga skilled worker, na kinabibilangan ng mga magdaragat, ay magbabayad naman ng PhP16,500 sa PhilHealth sa isang taon.

Ayon kay Susan Ople ng  Blas Ople Center sa kanyang tudling sa Business Mirror, nakita niya sa isang balangkas ng komputasyon ng PhilHealth premium na pagkaraan ng limang taon, ang magiging taunang kontribusyon ng isang OFW ay PhP12,480.

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Kakayanin kaya ng mga kasambahay na patungong Kuwait o Saudi Arabia ang halagang iyon? tanong ni Ople.

Ang katanungan ay kaugnay ng isang rekisito sa panukalang implementing rules ng bagong Social Security System Law na hindi bibigyan ng Philippine Overseas Employment Administration ng OEC ang isang OFW hanggat hindi siya ganap na bayad sa mga ambag sa SSS.

Nakakainit ng ulo kung isipin ang iba’t ibang mga sinisingil sa mga OFW bago sila umalis sa kanilang bansa upang maghanap-buhay. Ayaw man aminin ng pamahalaan, ito ay pamimiga sa mga migranteng manggagawa bago pa lang sila makapagsimula sa kanilang mga trabaho sa ibang bansa.

Hindi na nga sila maprotektahan sa paniningil ng mga employment agency nang labis-labis bago sila makaalis, ngayon ay idinagdag pa sa pasanin ng mga OFW ang mga bagong patakaran sa SSS at Universal Health Insurance.

Ang masaklap ay ang pagiging “mandatory” ng mga patakarang ito na isa lamang ang ibig sabihin: hindi makaliligtas ang OFW sa karagdagang pamimiga.

Kung itinuturing ng mga lider ng bansa at mga pulitiko ang mga OFW na mga “bagong bayani,” bakit ginagawa silang gatasan ng mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan samantalang sila ay nag-aambag ng malaking halaga sa kabuhayin ng bansa?

Malinaw na pang-uuto lamang sa mga OFW ang pagturing sa kanila bilang mga bayani kung garapalan naman ang pagpiga sa kanila. -- Vir B. Lumicao

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Trekkers ease OFW depression with charity hikes and eco-cleanups

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Trekkers gather for their first anniversary to hike, do beach cleanup, and eat

It began with a call for help from a fellow overseas Filipino worker whose village in Mindanao was ravaged by two earthquakes in the closing days of October last year.

Veteran hiker Ligaya Francisco said she and a bunch of friends wanted to help but knew it was difficult to solicit donations since her fellow helpers were also hard-up. They eventually decided to raise funds by hiking.

“Naging successful naman ang fundraising. Noong nagkasunud-sunod na ang mga humingi ng tulong ay nagtatag na kami ng grupo,” Francisco said on Nov 22, as Bagong Bayani (The Trekkers) celebrated its first anniversary with hiking and a beach cleanup in Discovery Bay, Lantau.

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The 54-year-old unassuming woman, who is called “Nanay” or “Happy” by members of The Trekkers, said there had been several requests for help this year as natural calamities and pandemic safety protocols put communities back home in difficult situations.

As the hikes for a cause became frequent, more workers joined, Francisco said. From a bunch of just eight women who met on the trails, the group that initially called itself The Trekkers grew to more than 50 members as it attracted other workers.

The group expanded even as pro-democracy protests and the coronavirus pandemic affected their activities.

Francisco says the protests and pandemic drove them further afield

“Dinaanan namin ang mga rally, pero ang pinakamatindi ay ang Covid-19 dahil mahigpit sa social distancing. Kung saan-saang gubat at bundok kami nagtago para magkasama-sama. Naghanap kami ng mga tagong lugar at isla,” said Francisco.

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There was a time when social distancing measures limited group gatherings to just two persons, but the group managed to continue hiking without breaking the rules by trekking in twos. The strict protocols were a blessing nevertheless as they enhanced group growth. 

“Noong panahong iyon ay saka naman lalo kaming lumago, dumami ang sumama sa amin,” Francisco said. She said many of their friends brought along friends until the group grew and camaraderie improved.

Members brought food so they would have picnics when they went hiking to stay away from the city, she said.

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“Kasi yung time na iyon, ang hirap e, napaka-isolated natin. Yung depression, yung gusto mong umuwi, may mga namatay hindi ka makauwi, may mga problemang pampamilya, hindi rin maayos kasi na-stuck na tayo dito. At saka yung emotional need, kailangan namin ang isa’t isa,” Francisco said.

“Pumupunta kami sa mga ganitong lugar walang tao, malaya kaming magsalita, malaya kaming tumawa, malaya kaming ilabas yung kung ano ang nararamdaman namin,” she said.

She admitted there had been intrigues due to petty misunderstandings or pressure brought about by the times, but they stayed together as a family.

“Para kaming magkakapatid, minsan may away-away, minsan nagkakatampuhan. Normal lang po iyon dahil sa panahon. Maraming pressure. Pero eto pa rin kami, magkakasama, kailangan namin ang isa’t isa, parang isang pamilya yung community,” Franciso said.

The Trekkers try to maintain social distancing even in isolated areas

The members come from all regions of the Philippines. She said the priority is helping fellow OFWs, especially since they and their families don’t get dole-outs from their government even if they need help, too. The group reaches out to any OFW, even a non-member, who is in dire need to ease her worry, especially when a family member falls ill.

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Whatever amount the members give, these add up and mean a lot, said Francisco.

She said that’s one reason why almost every week The Trekkers hold charity hikes. At the same time, Francisco said, they would do cleanups on the trails and beaches to teach members to love and protect the environment.

“Gusto kong masanay sila at magkaroon ng mind-set na kailangang mahalin ang environment, na huwag itapon ang kalat kung saan-saan kundi ilagay sa tamang basurahan,” the group’s “nanay” said.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang klwentong Dream Love

At their anniversary celebration, about 40 people gathered before noon on an isolated beach at the northern fringes of Discovery Bay. Many others came in twos or threes in the early afternoon.

On the site they strove to be in fours in line with protocols, even in preparing the food they served to celebrate the anniversary and the birthdays of two or three members.

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However, not all their weekends are devoted to hiking and cleanups, Francisco said. Sometimes they also hold a hammock festival, where members hang layers of hammocks from trees and spend the day or night in those nylon cocoons suspended in mid-air.    

The group has no elected leaders. It is the organic core group, including Francisco, Annabeline Allera, sisters Mary Joy Rebucan and Ma. Ana R. Bautista, as well as Jessie Lopez that coordinates activities. Lopez, who figures in several OFW fundraising drives, takes charge of The Trekkers’ charity projects.

Last Sunday, as they marked their special day, The Trekkers also superseded the group name with Bagong Bayani, or New Heroes, a name that best fits them.

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