MANILA, 8 December 2007 — A widow from the southern Philippines, who had worked for a sheikh in Saudi Arabia, and two seafarers won the prestigious Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) for 2007.
The three national winners were among the 17 regional MOFYA awardees who vied for the yearly prestigious awards for the OFWs and their families.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration announced last June that this year’s theme for the contest is successful family relations, a shift in the usual economic achievement as a criteria for selection.
Besting the MOFYA regional winners were Virgencita “Maizarah” Ambrocio Lagunsay of Bansalan, Davao del Sur; Eugenio B. Atuel of Lemery, Iloilo; and Oscar Abeleda De Jesus of Looc, Romblon.
A Muslim convert, Maizarah was married to her late husband Amado Sagansam Lagunsay, a Muslim from barangay Aplaya, Digos, Davao del Sur province. They have four children, who are all degree holders now.
Her husband worked as a carpenter in Malaysia before she decided to try her luck in Saudi Arabia where she worked as a domestic helper. She served her employer well that the sheikh gave her benefits that helped her improve her family’s economic life back in the Philippines.
Maizarah raised their children well on her own when her husband died in 2000. She is also actively involved with local civic organizations promoting community development.
She invested her income abroad on more than a hundred fruit-bearing trees, two hectares of rice fields, five hectares of coconut farms and more than 20 cows for raising and fattening.
OFW De Jesus was a land-based worker in Saudi Arabia for five years before becoming a seafarer for 21 years. He is married to Novelyn de Jesus, with whom he has three children. He said he had been away from home while his three sons are growing up. He credits his wife for raising their children well.
De Jesus sends them letters at least six times a month. He said his communication with his sons is always centered on the value of education, spending the hard-earned money wisely and the difficulties of working abroad.
De Jesus is a staunch advocate of reforestation in Looc, where he initiated the planting of more than 100,000 mangrove trees along the seashores. He also inspired his town mates to put up a cooperative in their community.
He also created employment opportunities by investing his remittances on fishponds and livestock that regularly bring him income.
OFW Atuel is also a seafarer who is known to be a family-centered man, industrious and service-oriented. He is married to Corazon Gaviola. They are blessed with seven children.
He makes sure that he calls home during weekends — with or without family matters to discuss. He and his wife constantly discuss over the phone whatever family decisions they make. The Atuel family is religious. They regularly give gifts as an appreciation for each other. Chores are divided among them when their helpers are on vacation.
The Atuel family sets 10 percent of their income to outreach programs such as sending less privileged but deserving students to school, among others. They are also visible in civic, academic and religious organizations.
They plan together to acquire facilities, buy appliances and enter into financial investments. They maintain an open book for each other.
The Atuels bank on agricultural lots developed as mango and rice farms. At present, the family has investments on mango farm, vegetable farm and 10 hectares irrigated rice farms in Bohol.
