MANAMA, Bahrain — Fifty Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) kicked off a six-week dressmaking training program on 11 September 2026 at Crowne Plaza, Diplomatic Area, gaining practical skills that could open new livelihood opportunities and help them prepare for a future beyond overseas employment.
Organized by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in partnership with Pinay Ikaw Na (PIN), the program forms part of the Philippine Embassy-Migrant Workers Office (PE-MWO) continuing reintegration initiatives aimed at equipping OFWs with practical skills they can use to support themselves and their families.
Pastor Jaime Fusana Jr. of Every Nation Bahrain led the opening prayer, seeking guidance and success as the participants begin their six-week training journey. This was followed by welcome remarks from Dinah E. Sta. Ana, president of Pinay Ikaw Na, who congratulated the participants for making time to learn a new skill despite their work and personal responsibilities.
OWWA Welfare Officer Juvilyn “Butch” B. Gumabay highlighted the importance of providing OFWs with relevant training and opportunities that can contribute to their welfare, skills development, and long-term preparedness. The Welfare Officer emphasized that the training is more than learning how to sew, cut fabric, and create garments. She encouraged participants to view the six-Friday program as an opportunity to acquire a practical skill that could eventually become a source of additional income, a livelihood, or even the starting point of a small business.
In his speech, Labor Attaché Dr. Orville A. Ballitoc emphasized that reskilling and upskilling are important parts of the government’s continuing investment in Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), particularly in preparing them for opportunities beyond overseas employment.
He encouraged participants to see the training as an investment in themselves, particularly as they prepare for life beyond overseas employment.
“Reskilling and upskilling are important investments in our Overseas Filipino Workers. We want the OFWs not only to gain new skills, but also to discover opportunities that can help them build a more secure future. For our OFWs in Bahrain, relevant and practical training can be a starting point for livelihood, entrepreneurship, and financial independence.
Reintegration should not simply mean returning home. It should mean returning with greater skills, confidence, and opportunities. Every training program we provide is an investment in the ability of our OFWs to create better options for themselves and their families.”
Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain Gines Jaime Ricardo D. Gallaga commended OWWA and Pinay Ikaw Na for organizing the training and giving OFWs an opportunity to develop practical skills that can serve them beyond their current employment. He likewise recognized the participants for their eagerness to learn, enhance their skills, and dedicate time to personal growth despite their work and other obligations.
He emphasized that preparation and opportunity go hand in hand, noting that opportunities are more likely to lead to success when people are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take advantage of them.
For the MWO, programs such as this form part of a broader effort to help OFWs prepare for their eventual return and reintegration into Philippine society. Rather than simply preparing workers to go home, skills development gives them more options when they begin the next chapter of their lives.
From Basic Sewing to Filipiniana
Conducted every Friday for six weeks, the training provides hands-on instruction in basic sewing and dressmaking, progressing from simple projects to more detailed techniques. The program will culminate in the creation of a Filipiniana-inspired dress, allowing participants to apply their skills while incorporating elements of Filipino culture and design.
Learning, Then Paying It Forward
Adding another meaningful dimension to the training are volunteer assistant teachers who are former participants from the first through sixth batches.
Having gained skills and experience from the program themselves, these former students have returned to share their knowledge, time, and expertise with the new batch—turning their own learning experience into an opportunity to help others.
Lenilla E. Ronco, 54, from Barangay Tumcon Ilaya, Pototan, Iloilo, has been living and working in Bahrain since 2004. A Batch 6 graduate, she now works as a secretary and volunteers as an assistant teacher in the dressmaking program.
Ronco joined the training to prepare for her planned return to the Philippines, hoping to gain practical skills that could support her and open livelihood opportunities back home. The training helped her improve her skills in taking measurements, making patterns, cutting fabric, and basic sewing, which she has since used for simple alteration jobs and other sewing projects.
After more than two decades in Bahrain, dressmaking has given Ronco not only a useful skill but also greater confidence as she prepares for her next chapter. Now, she is sharing what she learned with fellow OFWs, helping them gain the same skills and confidence that the program gave her.
Another former participant, a 50-year-old Office Manager of the Property Management Division at Dream Group and Batch 2 graduate, also shared how the program helped her grow personally and professionally.
“Beyond learning the basic sewing skills, I gained more confidence in myself and, along the way, made new friends. The experience has been both useful and meaningful for me,” she shared.
Building on this spirit of giving back, the assistant teachers will guide participants throughout the training, helping them understand sewing techniques, follow patterns, operate equipment, and complete each project as they work toward the final output.
The volunteer assistant teachers are Annaly G. Ferrer, Estelita A. Arandia, Lenilla E. Ronco, Lorily N. Agustin, Maria Emma C. Delapina, Marijoy G. De Vera, Melissa M. De Guzman, Merlinda P. Dimaunahan, Naida V. Duque, Rosalie B. Basinang, Ruth R. Apurado, and Sharlyn T. Vergara.
For Epifania F. Fuyoc, a volunteer trainer since Batch 1, welcoming the 7th batch is another opportunity to share skills and inspire fellow OFWs. She expressed joy in seeing more learners join the program, saying, “Finally, we have additional learners to whom we can impart our skills and knowledge.” Fuyoc said.
Stitching Skills, Building Possibilities
For the 50 participants, every stitch represents more than the creation of a garment. It is an opportunity to discover a new ability, build confidence, and develop a skill that could become useful in the years ahead.
The training also gives OFWs a space to learn together, exchange experiences, encourage one another, and build friendships while preparing for possibilities beyond overseas employment.
Through the Philippine Embassy-Migrant Workers Office (PE-MWO) reintegration program, the dressmaking training offers OFWs more than a skill they can bring home. It is an investment in their capacity to rebuild, create new sources of income, and pursue opportunities beyond overseas employment. For the participants, the six-week journey may begin with a needle, thread, and a piece of fabric, but with every stitch, they are also building something more lasting: skills, confidence, and new possibilities for the future.
