In the past two weekends, I interacted with two groups of excellent Filipinos who are doing community volunteer work as part of their normal life in the UAE.
The first group was the 11 finalists of the Dakilang Manggagawang Pilipino (DMP) sa UAE 2025 or DMP 2025 who were judged based on these four pillars: Dakila sa Pamilya (Family), Dakila sa Trabaho (Work), Dakila sa Komunidad (Community), and Dakila sa Pananampalataya (Faith). Dakila in Tagalog means great, eminent, majestic, and noble.
This is the fifth consecutive year of the awards event initiated by Pinas Cargo which is the flagship enterprise of the Pinas Group of Companies. I was a member of the jury of DMP 2022, and I clearly remember being inspired by the testimonies of the 20 shortlisted nominees about their extra mile contributions to their respective community groups or churches. Only 10 became finalists where the eventual winner, Joemar Tagala, was chosen. This year, there are 11 because there was a tie for the 10th place.
I met the 11 finalists on September 21 when they joined the City Tour organized by Pinas Travel. They are from various emirates and have different jobs from a household service worker to a supervisor. The winner will be chosen on October 5, Sunday afternoon.
Last Saturday afternoon, September 27, I joined the online jury who evaluated the 10 finalists of the Outstanding Filipino Educators in the UAE 2025 organized by the Filipino International Teachers’ Society – FITS UAE. The eventual winner will be named on October 11, Saturday evening.
They were chosen based on four factors: Impact on Filipino Learners and the School Community; Innovation in Culturally Responsive Teaching; Promotion of Filipino Values and Excellence Abroad; and Commitment to Professional Growth and Service.
Again, the finalists are from various emirates, and they are employed by government, private and non-profit institutions. It took us three and a half hours to complete the interview, but it was all worth our time. Listening to their inspiring stories of doing community volunteer work not only in the UAE but also in the Philippines would really motivate any jury member to do the same. To make volunteer work as a way of life.
Coincidentally, the president of FITS UAE, Federico Dulla Jr., is the DMP 2023 grand winner.
“The rich man is damned not for what he did, but for what he didn’t do. He continually saw Lazarus suffering and did nothing. This was his most serious sin.
We can’t help but ask ourselves: Is it also ours?
Do we see a need and ignore it? Do we see a problem and step over it? Do we see heartbreak and desperation, and then do nothing to alleviate it? Do we hear the cries of the poor and put our hands over our ears?
Do we fail to see in our suffering brothers and sisters the face of Christ? Whenever we pray the confiteor at Mass, the ‘I Confess,’ we ask mercy for ‘what I have done and what I have failed to do.’
This Gospel makes us ask the hard question: What have we failed to do?
The scriptures this Sunday are collectively a cry against indifference –‘Woe to the complacent!,’ as the first reading puts it.
A little examination of conscience is called for. We need to shake off whatever complacency has taken over our lives. Pay attention. Seek solutions. Reach out a hand. Stop making excuses, avoiding, stepping over, looking away.
Whether we want to acknowledge them or not, the world is crowded with Lazaruses.
And this Gospel makes this much clear: at the end of our lives, we will be judged not only on what we do, but on what we have failed to do.”
All the best to the two groups of finalists. You are all winners in the eyes of God as you are doing community volunteer work. God bless you all.
Note: The columnist is a 24-year resident of Dubai and is currently working as Head of Corporate Communications of a global energy logistics company. He used to be a former Filipino Community Leader as chairman of the Philippine Independence Day Execom in 2008 and as one of the founding officers of the Filipino Social Club in 2019. He can be reached at: artlosbanos@gmail.com
