Twelve yachts cruised through the Dubai Harbour and Dubai Canal on Saturday for the first-ever Philippine Independence Day Fluvial Yachts Parade. Kamal Kassim / Gulf Today

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

A Philippine Government official and a politician said the protection and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) worldwide remain to be on top of the agenda of Manila.

Over at the first-ever “OFW Night” co-organised by the Migrant Workers Office-Dubai (MWO-Dubai, formerly the Philippine Overseas Labour Office-Dubai/POLO-Dubai) and the Filipino Social Club (FilSoc) on Friday, Department of Migrant Workers-Welfare and Foreign Employment Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Senate Migrant Workers Committee chairman Senator Raffy Tulfo, said that the Republic of the Philippines-United Arab Emirates 2021 Memorandum of Understanding on Labour Cooperation and Annex Protocols for Domestic Workers, had resulted in positives, such that distressed domestic workers are now only a handful compared to years back.

The “OFW Night” wherein all the 35 MWO-Dubai officials and staff, alongside Social Security Systems and PagIBIG Fund (Home Mutual Development Fund) officers, as the MWO-Dubai Harmonies, led in the singing of the Philippine national anthem “Lupang Hinirang” (“Chosen Land”) and “Tagumpay Nating Lahat” (“Our Win”), was in observation of the June 7 “National Migrant Workers’ Day.” It was also in time for the the 125th anniversary of the June 12, 1898 Philippine Independence Day (PID).

Meanwhile, through the Community Development Authority-licensed 1,700-strong FilSoC, the first-ever “(PID) Fluvial Yachts Parade” took place on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Led by the 16-year-old Filipino Yachtsmen Association and steered by its president, Capt. Samuel Cabico, 12 medium-sized sailing boats of the Sunrise Yachts, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, the Dubai Police and other privately-owned, cruised through and ferried 250 persons for the six-kilometre round-about Dubai Harbour-JBR-Dubai Marina Canal-Dubai Marina Mall-Dubai Marina Walk & Spinney’s route.

Prior to boarding, Cabico said the fluvial parade was conceptualised as he and FilSoC president Ericson Reyes, hail from the island-provinces of Iloilo and Cebu in the Visayas Region, where the “Parao Regatta and the Sinulog Fluvial Parade, respectively, are annually held in fiesta.

Special guest was Sheikh Abdulaziz Ahmed Majid Al Mualla of Umm Al Quwain: “I am happy to be here for the (PID). Here in the UAE, we support all nationals and their independence days.”

Dubai Police Diplomatic and Consular Affairs Liaison officer Lt. Majid Al Falasi said: “We fully support the Filipino Community. They have our full backing in all their activities. We are extremely happy for your fluvial parade, as you celebrate your (PID) this way. In Dubai, there is always something good, happening. We are happy that this fluvial parade is taking place in Dubai. Have fun and enjoy the ride.”

Another first by the MWO-Dubai and the FilSoC was the “Basketball Ball Exhibition Game” on June 7. The MWO All Stars trounced on the Filipino Yachtmen Club Officers, 77-34, at the Al Wasl Club.

From the “OFW Night,” Senator Tulfo recalled his visit years back at the then POLO-Dubai, as a broadcast journalist who saw how the shelter for runaway Filipinas, were full of up to 200.

“But, now, it is only a few. There were only 13 since we arrived. While one was abused by her employer, the rest are victims of cross-country (human trafficking by way of illegal recruitment). This shows how our Philippine Government officials are working dutifully for your protection and welfare. The number of women at our shelter has gone down. But then, let us not be foolhardy.

Let us not be fooled easily especially when we see social media posts of how good and luxurious life could be. Do not be scammed,” Tulfo said in Filipino, adding that in his June 8 meeting with Cacdac, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration head Arnel Ignacio and the entire MWO-Dubai staff led by Labour Attache John Rio Bautista, he had vowed to actively disseminate information on such fraudulent activities.

Bautista said the cross-country Filipina victims “came from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong.” Modus operandi was similar to the previously reported by Gulf Today. They were lured of good and stable jobs through Facebook and WhatsApp. But, consequently “sold” to various manpower agencies.

Cacdac said that with the DMW, OFWs’ protection and welfare are given more importance than before “and so expect me to come here more often than before.” He also gave an update regarding the June 7 “National Migrant Workers’ Day” signing of agreement between Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople and Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual on business training and mentorship programmes.