JEDDAH, 3 March 2005 — The search is on for this year’s Philippine Bagong Bayani awardees.
An advisory by the Manila-based Bagong Bayani Foundation, Inc., the group behind the annual awards for outstanding Overseas Filipino Workers, said the search this year includes four categories.
The highest honor, introduced for the first time this year, is the Blas F. Ople Award for the “most outstanding and exemplary OFW.” It is named after the late statesman known as the architect of the country’s labor export program.
The three other categories are the Bagong Bayani Award for Most Outstanding Employee; Bagong Bayani Award for Community and Social Service; and the Bagong Bayani Award for Culture and Performing Arts.
Any Filipino working overseas, whether land-based or sea-based, may be nominated for pre-qualification, provided they possess the following qualifications:
• must be or have been an OFW for at least two (2) years;
• has no past or present criminal or derogatory record;
• must be of good moral standing, or has received recognition from past or present employer for exemplary behavior or outstanding service; and
• the employment contract must have been processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
According to the foundation, nominations may be made either by the employer; the deploying recruitment or placement agency; industry associations; co-worker/s; or other reputable individuals or institutions.
To nominate, the following requirements must be submitted with the duly accomplished official nomination form:
• an endorsement letter signed by the nominee’s employer;
• photocopy of passport;
• proof of regular bank remittance;
• profile of accomplishments;
• photocopy of awards or citations (if available);
• 7 (2”x2”) colored photos; and
• copy of employment contract.
The official nomination forms may be obtained from Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Jeddah and Riyadh.
Elsewhere, POLO also has offices in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, UAE, Singapore, Kuwait, Italy, Brunei, Malaysia, UK and the United States. Forms are also available at the BBFI secretariat office at 2nd floor, POEA Bldg., Ortigas Ave., cor. EDSA, Mandaluyong City, Philippines.
Deadline for submission of nominations is on March 15.
Launched in 1984, the Bagong Bayani Awards seek to recognize and pay tribute to OFWs, the so called modern-day heroes, “for their significant efforts in fostering goodwill among peoples of the world, enhancing and promoting the image of the Filipino as a competent, responsible and dignified worker, and for greatly contributing to the socio-economic development of their communities and our country as a whole.”
Over the years, the overseas Filipino community has become a pillar of the Philippine economy. Last year, dollar remittances from the community reached about $7 billion, and that covers only those sent through banks.
