DAMMAM, 30 June 2003 — The achievements of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Middle East will soon be portrayed in a new television program in the Philippines called the OPTV.

The Overseas Pinoy Television (OPTV) will be coming to the Middle East this July to make documentaries on “Huwarang OFWs,” profiles of Filipino community groups and organizations, and certain issues and topics concerning the Filipinos working abroad.

Jing Villareal, a producer of the OPTV, said in an e-mail sent to Arab News that OFWs have always been trumpeted to be the “new heroes” of the Philippines because of the roughly $7 billion worth of remittances they bring into the country every year. The amount includes only those sent through banks.

“Unfortunately, OFWs are often portrayed in the news, TV shows and movies as battered domestic helpers, Japayukis who work like prostitutes, and helpless factory workers,” Villareal said.

And while the OFWs are called the new heroes, their stories are not often shared with the view to inspiring others or making Filipinos back home truly appreciate what they do, according to Villareal.

An OPTV staff plans to visit Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia in response to requests for more OFW stories in the Middle East.

OPTV’s initial coverage features OFWs in Japan and Southeast Asia, though they have done already one story on the Filipino caregivers in Israel.

Villareal said they hope to film the life and experiences of overseas Pinoys, the issues they have to deal with in their places of work, the family and social concerns of a parent or sibling who rarely comes home, and the measures taken by the government and NGOs to ease the pain of separation or protect OFWs from violence and abuse.

The program is hosted by singer-actor Richard Merk and newscaster Kata Inocencio. Behind the scenes are director Don Escudero, award-winning cinematographer Neil Daza who will sit as creative director, head writer Manny Casta?eda, production designer Mike Guison, and stylist Denni Tan.

The concept was initiated by the group of Mary Jean Borra, who has been in the business of sending workers abroad for more than 10 years and decided to put up a show that would put OFWs in a better light.

Far from being an amateur project by a first-time TV producer, Borra’s Wall City Entertainment put together leading figures in the field to come up with a worthy TV series for and about Filipino expatriates.

OPTV debuted on Feb. 10 at RPN 9 television and is now being viewed throughout the Philippines. Now, the show is on its second season and airs twice on RPN 9, during Mondays at 11-12 p.m. and on Wednesdays at 10-11 a.m. The show is also being aired through ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC), which is being viewed by Filipinos in many parts of the world.