Number of women OFW in Bicol up – OWWA

By Joseph John J. Perez

LEGAZPI CITY, April 4 (PIA) - The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) regional office here revealed that there are more women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) than men in the Bicol region.

OWWA Bicol regional director Jocelyn Hapal said in an interview during the “Aramon Ta Daw” radio program of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that records of the agency show a steady increase of women OFWs in Bicol and majority of these women OFWs are domestic helpers abroad.

Hapal elaborated that as of February this year, the OWWA Membership Processing Center recorded a total of 31,075 women OFWs in Bicol, outnumbering its male counterpart with 27,515 total.

Camarines Sur topped the list with 13,570 women OFWs followed by Albay with 8,349; Sorsogon, 3,431; Camarines Norte, 2,998; Catanduanes, 1,458 ;and Masbate with 1,269.

Aside from being domestic helpers, Bicolana OFWs work as caregivers and nurses being the next preferred skills or job abroad.

Top three countries of destinations of Bicolana OFWs are United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Hongkong, Overseas Worker Welfare Officer Mayan Trilles said.

“Women OFWs choose to work abroad due to lack of local job opportunities for their skills and uncompetitive salary,” Hapal said.

There are 30,793 bicolana OFWs who are land-based and 282 are sea-based, OWWA Region V said.

There are 58,590 OFWs from the entire Bicol Region of which 17,710 males are land-based and 9,805 are sea-based.

Camarines Sur still tops the list with 11,262 male OFWs, also followed by Albay with 8,258 and Sorsogon with 3,085. Other Bicol provinces followed the list with 2,581 men OFWs from Camarines Norte, 1,392 from Masbate and 937 from Catanduanes according to the data of OWWA Membership Processing Center in Bicol Region. (MAL/JJP/PIA5)



LTO, Kabalikat CIVICOM partners for OPLAN SUMVAC in Camarines Sur

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, April 4 (PIA) - After its successful team up during the conduct of Oplan Semana Santa and Lakbay Alalay, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the KABALIKAT-Civic Communicators Association, Inc.-Bicol, will continue to assist the motorists particularly students who are still in the province for the summer vacation.

In line with this, the duo together with the members of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Health (DOH) and other government entities and private stakeholders, will continue to assist incoming and outgoing motorists in the region through the Oplan Summer Vacation or Oplan SUMVAC.

KABALIKAT-Civicom Bicol Regional Governor Archimedes P. Salvino said that the convergence of government and private entities endeavors to ensure that visitors even after the Semana Santa can still enjoy their travel to any parts of the region.

“Under the Oplan SUMVAC, our personnel together with our partner agencies will see to it that motorists, especially students are guided and assisted while enjoying the semestral break,” Salvino said in an interview.

On March 27, Wednesday just before the onset of the Lenten observance, the team conducted a surprise inspection of public utility vehicles particularly vans and busses in various terminals in Naga City. They checked the brakes, the headlights, and the over- all condition of the said vehicles and its road worthiness before allowing it to convey passengers from Naga to various parts of the region and to the greater Manila area.

On Sunday, the team together with experts from Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), together with LTO, Kabalikat Civicom and other partner agencies, conducted another surprise visit at the said terminals and had another round of random drug testing. Four (4) drivers tested positive for illegal drugs and were not allowed to travel.

Several bus drivers were also found carrying an expired driver’s license and were immediately summoned to leave their buses. They too, were not allowed to convey their passengers on Sunday.

LTO Regional Director Noreen San Luis0-Lutey said that the random drug testing and checking of expired licenses will continuously take their turns in various parts of the region to ensure that passengers are in the safe and competent hands of their drivers.

“We will continuously conduct this activity in random, and in surprise manners not just in terminals but also in major highways to ensure that our commuters are ensured of a safe and comfortable travel to their destinations,” Lutey said in an interview. (MAL/LSM/PIA5)