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| Congen Israel says the PCG will work with The Samaritans in counseling troubled OFWs |
The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, together with its attached agency, the Migrant Workers Office, have vowed to intensify their effort to reach out to overseas Filipino workers who might be undergoing mental stress, in the wake of two OFW suicides in less than a week.
Consul General Romulo Israel, Jr. said that the PCG
and the MWO have spoken with The Samaritans, a group of volunteer professional
counselors, on the possibility of collaborating to extend help to OFWs who are
distressed.
Congen Israel said they are hoping The Samaritans could
reinforce the team of counselors at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
“in providing a lifeline to our kababayan who might just need someone to talk
to about their problems that are causing them severe anxiety of depression.”
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
He added, “We hope to operationalize a partnership with
them (Samaritans) soon.”
The latest reported suicide happened on Oct. 7, when
a 31-year-old Filipina was found hanging inside a room at her employer’s luxurious
villa at 1 Peak Road. Her relatives told MWO the victim was going through
marital problems.
Five days earlier, a 34-year-old Filipina was also
reported to have hanged herself in her employer’s flat in Tai Hang. Friends
said she had been under severe stress from having to repay a large debt owed by
her mother.
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| OIC Villafuerte talks to newly arrived OFWs during a post-arrival orientation seminar |
MWO Officer-in-Charge Antonio Villafuerte affirmed the
move to reach out to The Samaritans, a charity group that has a 24-hour hotline
which people having suicidal thoughts could call anytime.
He said the group has dedicated Filipino helpline
officers who could help greatly in reaching out to more OFWs who might be in
trouble.
At the same time, Villafuerte said the MWO will
intensify reminders to OFWs that they can approach his office anytime should
they have problems.
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Right now, he said coping with mental health issues is part of the post-arrival orientation seminar provided to newly arrived OFWs. But the DMW and OWWA are also looking at organizing a new mental health campaign with Filipino community leaders.
