Cacdac confirms Ignacio sacked due to P1.4 billion anomalous land deal

  

Letter sent to Malacanang discloses alleged anomalous land deal entered into by Ignacio

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac has confirmed reports first published by The SUN that former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration administrator Arnell Ignacio was booted out of his post due to an anomalous P1.4 billion land acquisition deal.

Cacdac made the disclosure in an interview with GMA News Online, after reports Ignacio had said in a social media post that he resigned due to work-related stress.

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“Former administrator Ignacio did not resign from office. He was removed and replaced on the count of loss of trust and confidence due to an anomalous P1.4 billion land acquisition deal that did not go through the OWWA Board of Trustees on at least six counts,” Cacdac said in the interview.

A letter obtained by The SUN from a DMW source said a group of concerned OWWA employees had first reported about the alleged anomalous transaction to Malacanang, DMW, Office of the Ombudsman and the Bureau of Internal Revenue sometime in November last year.

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This was followed up by another letter on March 31 this year in which Ignacio and OWWA deputy administrator Emma Sinclair were accused of “plunder” in the amount of Php100 million and spending Php1.4 billion in a worthless property investment.

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The letter further detailed that after the initial complaint was made, Ignacio called the purported seller of the land named Mr Medina to go to his office and refund the Php36 million issued to him by way of a supplemental contract earlier.

All of the transactions , from the purchase of the land to the “refund” of Php36 million to Medina were said to have been carried out without prior approval of the OWWA Board.

Cacdac says Ignacio did not inform the OWWA board at least 6x about the land deal

“He did not... inform the Board on at least six counts, on six matters, surrounding the P1.4 billion land acquisition deal,” Cacdac told GMA News.  

Malacanang announced the replacement of Ignacio by DMW Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan who immediately took her oath of office before Cacdac on Friday.

No mention was made initially on why Ignacio was sacked, prompting speculations it was because overseas Filipino workers voted heavily in the last elections in favor of the senatorial candidates handpicked by detained former President Rodrigo Duterte, instead of the 12 endorsed by the administration.

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There has been no official word from Ignacio on the issue.

Ignacio was appointed by President Marcos as OWWA administrator in September 2022. Previously, Duterte named him OWWA deputy administrator but he resigned for undisclosed reason.

Ignacio booted out as OWWA chief: election aftermath or anomalous land deal?

 

Secretary Cacdac administers the oath of office to Caunan as new OWWA administrator

In a shock announcement, Malacang today said Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan has just been appointed as the new administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to replace Arnell Ignacio.

Caunan immediately took her oath of office before DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac.

No reason was given as to why Ignacio was sacked, and netizens were quick to speculate that it was because overseas Filipino workers largely ignored the administration’s senatorial candidates in the recently concluded election, and instead voted straight for the 10 candidates handpicked by detained former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

In Hong Kong and Macau, and most of the Middle East for example, the entire “Duter10” won handily over all other candidates, including those supported by the administration and were widely expected to dominate the race.

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Other netizens alleged it was because Ignacio remained a staunch supporter of Duterte, who first appointed him assistant vice president of the Philippine Games and Amusement Corporation in 2016, before moving him to OWWA as deputy executive director, then deputy administrator in 2018.

However, DMW insiders said Malacanang took the move after receiving two so-called “white papers” denouncing Ignacio’s alleged attempts to purchase multi-million peso worth of land using the OWWA Fund, without prior approval from the OWWA Board.

The first document in the form of a letter from "concerned OWWA employees" was reportedly sent to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Secretary  Cacdac, Office of the Ombudsman and the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in the latter part of last year, but was not immediately acted upon.

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A second letter was sent on March 31 this year, in which the unnamed complainants said it had been more than five months since they filed their complaint with the various named government departments, but was yet to be acted upon.

In this letter, stamped as received by the Office of the President, the Office of the Ombudsman and the BIR, the complainants said they were bothered because Ignacio had publicly said that Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin had laughed off their allegations.

They accused Ignacio and OWWA Deputy Administrator Emma Sinclair of conspiring with a certain Mr Medina in using the OWWA Fund to purchase a piece of land.

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“Maliwanag po na itinago sa Board ang pagbili ng lupa ni Ignacio at Sinclair sa napaka quetionableng proseso gaya ng pag release ng tseke kay Medina kahit hindi pa complied sa mga documentary requirements; gaya ng sapilitang pagsasagawa ng supplemental contract na ginawang basis sa pag refund ng 36 milyong piso kay Mr Medina; gaya ng walang board approval ng OWWA ang contract to sell, gaya ng walang board approval ng OWWA ang Deed of Sale, gaya ng walang board approval ng OWWA at ng Seller ang Supplemental Agreement,” said the agreement.

After their initial complaint was filed, the letter-writer said Ignacio through Sinclair called Medina to his office in the middle of the night, and demanded Medina, the supposed seller of the land, to refund the Php36 million that was given to him earlier.

The letter was unclear as to the amount involved, but accused the two OWWA officials of squandering P1.4 billion from the OWWA Fund to buy a worthless piece of land.

The allegations could not be independently confirmed, but they could explain the unceremonious dismissal of Ignacio, a move that sparked a lot of concern, if not grief not only among his colleagues, but also among overseas Filipino workers.

His defenders said Ignacio was hardworking and was genuinely concerned about the welfare of OFWs.

A post on social media quoted Ignacio as saying he did not begrudge Malacanang for removing him from his post.

"Kung ito ang desisyon ng Palasyo, wala akong sama ng loob. Sa lahat ng OFWs at OWWA employees na naging parte ng aking panunungkulan, maraming salamat. Naglingkod ako nang buong puso, at mananatili akong tagasuporta ng mga OFW saan man ako dalhin,"  Ignacio was quoted as saying.

Ignacio, who was appointed OWWA Administrator by President Marcos, in September 2022, is best known for setting up OFW lounges at Terminals 1 and 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the first OFW Global Center in Hong Kong,

Ignacio speaks at the OFW Global Centre in his last official visit to HK

During his last official visit to Hong Kong he spoke of setting up another OFW Global Centre in Taiwan, and of his plan to bring his close friend, comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas with him abroad, to help bring cheer to OFWs.

Meanwhile, Caunan, a lawyer who was appointed DMW Administrator for Policy and International Cooperation in 2022, said she was honored by the trust and confidence bestowed on her by President Marcos, and praisedboth Cacdac and the late DMW Secretary Susan Ople. 

“Napakapalad ko po—dahil ang dalawang naging boss ko sa pamahalaan ay tunay na may integridad at malasakit sa mga OFW,” said Caunan.

Then, addressing Cacdac she added, “Ako mismo ay naging saksi sa inyong pamumuno sa POEA at OWWA—ang puso ninyo ay nasa bawat manggagawang Pilipino sa ibang bansa.”

Since her appointment as DMW USec, Caunan has played a key role in forging 15 bilateral labor agreements with countries such as Canada, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Qata, Finland, Denmark, Singapore, Croatia, Slovenia and Kuwait.

 

 

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Filipino tourists continue to flock to HK

 

The Big Buddha in Lantau is a favorite tourist destination

Hong Kong has again boosted its tourist arrivals last month, with about 3.8 million visitors being recorded, for a 13 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Among those who came in bigger numbers were Filipinos, whose number grew by 20 percent compared with the previous year, along with those from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia.

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But Australia notched the biggest increase in tourist arrivals, with an additional 30 percent being recorded for April.

In sheer numbers, however, Taiwan, followed closely by South Korea and the Philippines, remain as the biggest sources of tourists to Hong Kong, after the mainland.

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Last month, a total of 370,421 visitors from Taiwan came in, while 338,364 flew in from South Korea, and 312,575 from the Philippines.

Last year, however, only Taiwan and the Philippines notched more than 1 million visitors each, while the United States and South Korea each had well over 800,000.

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For comparison, tourist arrivals from the Mainland numbered a staggering 34,043,127 last year. As of March this year, they have already breached the 9 million mark.

Between January and April this year, Hong Kong recorded a cumulative total of 16 million.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board noted that the rise in tourist arrivals has been sustained across various source countries and territories, with significant growth being recorded in several key regions. 

HK to expand public dental services from June

 

HK residents have to wait a long time to get treated at public dental clinics
(photo from Prince Phillip Dental Hospital)

Starting next month, the Hong Kong government will raise its service quota at nine of its dental clinics for the general public by around 30 percent, or up to 26,000.

This means that all Hong Kong ID holders including foreign domestic workers, will have a bigger chance of getting treated at public dental clinics.

Previously, people seeking dental treatment, including tooth extraction, had to queue up as early as 6am to get a slot. With the recent introduction of an online booking system for public dental services, all the clinics have been fully booked.

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At the same time, permanent residents receiving government aid such as the Old Age Living Allowance or are exempted from paying hospital fees, will benefit from an expanded government-subsidised dental program that will start on May 26.

Under the Community Dental Support Programme, the bookings for qualified residents will be increased to 40,000 a year, more than double the current government service quota.

The beneficiaries can have their teeth filled or removed for $50 a tooth, for a total of three teeth each time. They can apply for the service once every 180 days.

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The service will be offered at 80 clinics, with some people getting a total waiver of the minimal fee.

Recipients must hold a Hong Kong ID card and register for the government's eHealth system.

5-month imprisonment for lying to Immigration

 

The accused lied a second time to an immigration officer at the airport 

Lying twice to Immigration officers has resulted in a Filipina being jailed for five months.

Jo An Mantos, 39 years old, pleaded guilty today at Shatin Court to two counts of violating section 42 (1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance.

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The first charge of “making a false statement to an Immigration Officer,” arose from her statement last March 20 when she was applying for an extension of stay, that she would work for a certain Choi Pu Kai as a domestic helper.

“… you did make (the) statement knowing the same to be false or not believing the same to be true,” the charge sheet accused Mantos.

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She repeated the offense last May 13 when she told the same lie to an Immigration officer at the departure area of the HK International Airport.

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong meted on Mantos a six-month sentence for each of the two charges, but reduced both by one third to four months due to her guilty plea.

With three months of the second sentence running at the same time as the first, the resulting sentence was a total of five months.

 

 

Court shuts down bail review for Pinoy

 

Junction where Filipino was arrested (Google Maps photo)  

A Filipino arrested while holding an iron pipe in a street in Central on a Sunday, was refused bail review yesterday at Eastern Court, shutting down the process which would have allowed him to petition for temporary liberty every eight days.

With the ruling, Magistrate Kestrel Lam ordered that S.P. S., a 25-year-old bar tender, be returned to jail to await the next hearing scheduled for June 30.

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Magistrate Lam explained to the defendant that the offense he is charged with is serious in nature and that evidence, including CCTV footage, point to his guilt.

S.P.S. is charged with possession of an offensive weapon in public place, in violation of section 33(1) of the Public Order Ordinance, which sets a maximum penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment.

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According to the police complaint, he was arrested last May 4 at Theatre Lane, at the junction with Queen’s Road Central, while in possession of “an offensive weapon, namely iron tube” … “without lawful authority and reasonable excuse…”

He still has the right to file an appeal with the High Court to gain temporary freedom.

‘Duter10’ sweep OV vote in HK, but not in other overseas posts

 

Printout of the election results shown to watchers and media at the Voters Center

Senatorial candidates handpicked by detained former President Rodrigo R. Duterte swept the overseas election among Filipinos in Hong Kong and Macau, results published earlier today by the consulates in both special administrative regions of China show.

According to the advisory, the total number of registered voters for both cities was 94,295 (more than 83,000 of them are in Hong Kong). Of these, 31,637 voters cast their ballots, for a total turnout of 33.55%

The 10 candidates known to their followers as “Duter10” occupied the top slots in the ballot, with the remaining two going to former senators Gringo Honasan who ran as an independent; and Tito Sotto, who was in the administration ticket.

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Incumbent senator Bong Go led the winning candidates, followed closely by Bato dela Rosa and Rodante Marcoleta.

For the party-list vote, Duterte Youth, which was largely carried by Duterte supporters, was a runaway leader; followed by CIBAC, which is aligned with the Jesus is Lord Church which has a sizeable following in Hong Kong; then EPANAW Sambayanan, whose first nominee is Lorraine Badoy, a staunch Duterte ally.

Nearly the same result was obtained in several posts in the Middle East like Kuwait, where Go, Dela Rosa and Marcoleta emerged in the top three.

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But for their two additional choices, Filipinos in Kuwait went with Honasan and re-electionist Imee Marcos.

Filipinos in Singapore, however, dropped Quiboloy from the magic circle,  preferring to give the three last remaining spots to opposition candidates Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan, followed by Lacson.

The results showed a far different mix in places where there are fewer overseas contract workers, like in Los Angeles City, where Aquino and Pangilinan topped the list, followed by Heidi Mendoza, an independent candidate aligned with the two.

Go was on fourth slot, followed by Marcoleta, dela Rosa, another independent candidate Luke Espiritu, and then Lacson, Rodriguez, Bondoc, and Makabayan candidates Teddy Casino and France Castro.

In Australia, nearly the same names came out in the list of winners. The winning 12 candidates there were Aquino, Pangilinan, Mendoza, Go, dela Rosa, Espiritu, Marcoleta, Casino, Bondoc, Rodriguez, Lacson and Castro.

As as shown by the complete but unofficial results provided by the Commission on Elections, the overseas vote, which was done online for the first time, hardly reflected the national outcome.

This is due in large part to the low turnout for the historic vote. For example, out of the 4,557 registered voters in Southern California, which includes not just LA but also parts of Nevada and Arizona, only 1,131 voted online, for a dismal turnout of 3.27 percent.

Philippine Consul General for Macau Jun Israel and Macau CG Edna May Lazaro
made up the Special Board of Canvassers along with Vice Consul Gino Soriano 

Many voters have pointed to a lack of information about the new mode of voting, despite Comelec’s reported budget of at least P1.42 billion for making the transition as seamless as possible for the registered 1.3 million Filipino voters all over the world.

The technology used was also seen as far from user-friendly, as many voters complained of failing to even get past the initial stage of enrolling their credentials so they could be issued a ballot.

When they did manage to cast their ballots online, a number of voters expressed suspicion that their ballots had been replaced because the final page that showed up on their screen displayed a jumble of letters that seemed to form names of candidates they did not vote for.

Comelec and other officials tasked with administering the vote attributed this to birthing pains, and hope that the various experiences gained from the new technology would serve overseas voters in good stead when they get to vote in the more crucial presidential election in 2028.

 

 

Mixed results in Philippines’ mid-term election

 

More than 68m Filipinos voted across the country in yesterday's mid-term elections

A lot of surprises sprang from the results of the Philippines’ mid-term election, which is widely seen as a referendum on the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos and the looming showdown with his estranged vice-president Sara Duterte.

A mixed result came out of the elections which ended yesterday, March 12, both for Filipinos voting across the country and those who started voting overseas a month earlier.

Unofficial results put incumbent Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, a close aide of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte, a runaway leader in the senatorial race, something pre-election surveys had consistently forecast.

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But former Senator Bam Aquino placing second in the race came as a surprise to many, including himself. His political ally, Francis Pangilinan, also placed highly in the rankings, despite surveys showing both just beyond the winning circle of 12 senators.

Two other Duterte candidates finished strongly - incumbent Senator Ronaldo dela Rosa and Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.

While Marcos-backed candidates dominated the winners’ circle, taking seven of the 12 contested seats, two of them, Imee Marcos and Camille Villar, were also publicly endorsed by Vice President Duterte, so it is not likely they would vote to impeach her when the case comes before the Senate for trial.

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The other winning candidates who ran under the administration’s tickets were broadcaster Erwin Tulfo, former Senators Ping Lacson and Tito Sotto, and reelectionists Pia Cayetano and Lito Lapid.

With Aquino and Pangilinan easily securing slots in the winning circle, a number of supposed shoo-ins from the Marcos ticket failed to make it, including Tulfo’s brother Ben, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and incumbents Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Francis Tolentino.

The final unofficial tally shows 7 administration candidates landing in the magic circle

The Senate make-up will be crucial in determining whether President Marcos could push through with his political agenda, and hold sway on the fate of his jailed predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte and that of his embattled daughter, Sara.

Senators will act as jurors in an impeachment trial, and vote on the outcome. A 2/3 vote for impeachment would result to Sara Dutere being removed from office, and a lifetime ban.

Monday’s vote where 18,000  posts were contested, including mayors, governors and congressional representatives, yielded many other surprises.

Cynthia Villa's loss in Las Pinas is the first for her family since the 1990s

Among them, the defeat of outgoing Senator Cynthia Villar who ran as Congress representative for her hometown of Las Pinas, and of former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who lost in his bid for the mayor’s post in Caloocan City.

As expected, former President Duterte was again elected as mayor of Davao City despite the uncertainty of his release from detention and return to the Philippines. He won alongside his son, Sebastian, who will slide down to the post of vice-mayor, and elder son Paolo, who retains his seat as Davao City representative.

Other runaway winners were Vico Sotto, who will serve his third and last term as mayor of Pasig City, and former Vice President Leni Robredo who will take up the post of Naga City mayor.

Akbayan, which leads the party-list vote, will have 3 Congress representatives

For the party-lists, Akbayan took most of the votes, winning more than 2.7 million votes, or nearly 6% of the total, which will ensure it of three seats in the House of Representatives. Its first nominee is human rights lawyer Chel Diokno.

The other sure winners are Duterte Youth, with 5.7% of the votes, Tingog with 3.96 %; 4Ps with 3.2%, Acts CIS with 2.67% and Ako Bicol with 2.4%

Permanent residents urged to register for HK elections

 

Filipinos who are permanent residents in Hong Kong and at least 18 years old are among the targets of this year’s voter registration campaign launched recently by the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) to prepare for the next Legislative Council election.

As geographical constituency electors, they will choose 20 of the the 90 Legislative Council seats during  the election to be held on Dec. 7. Of the other seats, 40 will be elected by the 1,500-member Election Committee, and 30 by trade-based indirectly elected functional constituencies (FCs).

The Ballot Box Family mascots, comprising the Blue Ballot, Red Ballot and Grandpa Ballot, have been used to generate interest, with an appeal for first-time voters to submit registration applications before the June 2 deadline so they can be included in the voter registry to be published this year.

Those who have moved to a new address also have until June 2 to update their information with the REO.

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"The REO encourages eligible persons to submit applications for new registration as GC electors or change of voter registration particulars through 'iAM Smart'. They may also provide/update their mobile phone number and email address, and check their voter registration status through 'iAM Smart'."

They must submit to the REO an address proof, as well as provide their phone number and email address to facilitate contact. Registered occupants of public rental housing under the Housing Department or subsidized housing under the Hong Kong Housing Society are not required to submit any address proof.

To enhance the accuracy and integrity of the voters’ information, the REO will continue to implement checking measures during this registration cycle and issue inquiry letters to electors. Printed on the envelopes will be the message, "Immediate action required. Your voting right is at stake."

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The REO may also contact the electors under inquiry through phone calls, SMS, email or fax.

Electors under inquiry must reply on or before June 2 by scanning the QR code on the letter to log on to the Voter Registration website (vr.gov.hk), or by email, post or fax, to maintain their voter registration status.

Members of the public who have doubts about their registration status may also check through "iAM Smart" or the Voter Registration website (https://www.vr.gov.hk/eng/), or by calling the REO's hotline (2891 1001).

Applications can also be submitted through forms which are available on the Voter Registration website for download, or may be obtained at the District Offices, the management offices of public housing estates and the REO. Completed forms can be sent by post to the REO, 29/F, Standard Chartered Tower, Millennium City 1, 388 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, by fax to 2891 1180, by email to form@reo.gov.hk or via the REO e-Form Upload Platform (www.reo-form.gov.hk).

Filipina jailed 14 months for laundering $1.3 million

Two Filipinas were sent to jail for money laundering a day apart at Fanling Court

Another Filipina domestic worker was jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to laundering a total of $1,310,670.01 in dirty money through her account with Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank.

Perla Gergolingo, 40 years old, was sentenced at Fanling Magistracy on May 8, a month after admitting guilt.

She was charged, along with an unnamed person, of “dealing in property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence,” with the use of her bank account, between July 6, 2020 and Sept. 9, 2020.

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A fellow Filipina domestic worker who was charged with her at the same time was jailed for eight months the previous day.

Marilyn Macanas, 36, was sentenced to eight months in prison after she admitted handling crime money amounting to $410,000 through an HSBC account.

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In a similar case heard at Kwun Tong court, Elle Cherel Gravera, 38, unemployed, was returned to jail until her next court appearance on June 24.

She is accused of dealing with dirty money “somewhere” in Hong Kong between Aug. 1, 2022 and Jan. 13, 2023.

Drivers’ group marks first year with fun and gift-giving

Vice Consul Alan Revote with OFDA President Elmer Orilla

By Ramon B. Dizon 

Dozens of people celebrated the first anniversary of the Overseas Filipino Drivers and Aspirants-Hong Kong (OFDAHK) atop Queensway Plaza in Admiralty on Apr 27 with dancing, singing, and sharing of festive food.

But it was also a time for sharing, as the group handed over a cash donation to fellow domestic worker, Margie Ledesma, who recently lost her husband in a fire at their home in General Trias, Cavite.

OFDAHK’s chairperson Chyrill Nadela decided to extend help to Ledesma after reading about her plight in The SUN online.

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"Doon lang din po namin siya nakilala,” said Nadela (That was how we first came to know her)

Guest speaker Vice Consul Alan Revote warmly praised the group’s generosity, and promised help in furthering its success and growth.

"Sana dumami pa ang mga organisasyong katulad n'yo na may aspetong pagtulong sa pag-angat ng kapwa Pilipino", Revote said. (I hope there’d be more groups like you that undertake to help raise the status of your fellow Filipinos).

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Also among the guests was Migrant Workers Office Officer-in-Charge Antonio Villafuerte, who  called on the group to keep supporting each other.

"Be an inspiration to each other", Villafuerte said, adding that this is one way to fortify the group and help prevent it from splitting up when it encounters rough patches.

Villafuerte urged the members to "be strong against challenges, (as) it will make you grow more mature to keep on going".

Association president Elmer Orilla echoed Nadela's call for OFWs to upgrade their skills by learning how to drive.

He hoped to help more Filipinos, male or female, acquire a driver’s licence in Hong Kong, which they can use to seek higher pay and other benefits.

"Ang pinaka-weapon lang naman sa mga bagay-bagay ay pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan", Orilla said. (The only weapon we have is our unity and willingness to cooperate).

Along with co-founder Susan Niduaza, Nadela and Orilla were the signatories when the group registered with the Societies Office of the Hong Kong Police Force last year.

Vice President Charlie Caddawan closed the program with the assurance that lady drivers are not seen as a threat to the male-dominated field of family drivers, saying there is enough room for everyone.

But he reminded everyone to keep improving their skills and performance.