If the PBA before had a ‘Triggerman’ in Allan Caidic, then there is also a ‘Triggerman’ among the OFWs in the UAE using the social media handle Boy Dubai, who is actually Ion Gonzaga, a Digital Experience Designer.
I remember being fascinated how his post on October 17, 2021, about the Philippine participation at the Expo 2020went viral. In his open letter to the Philippines Pavilion coordinator, which was the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Boy Dubai said: “As a designer, I am the one to appreciate art first. As a UX designer, I am also someone to know if a design is useful or not. Bangkota may look intriguingly beautiful on the outside, but lacking substance inside. We missed a lot on the message. What takeaway do we expect people to bring with them after visiting? We missed a lot on aesthetics and ergonomics when it comes to visitor experience. I’m sure we have gone through a thorough design thinking process. But have we empathized enough with a typical Expo visitor persona?”
The post generated more than 200 comments and almost 200 shares, as well as prompted an invitation from then DTI Assistant Secretary Rosvi Gaetos to meet at the pavilion on October 23. Boy Dubai shared that the government official thanked him for his open letter and appreciated how it was written in a constructive manner. “Even before we get started, she assured me that a few of the points we raised were already being addressed – like the improvement of dim lighting inside the pavilion and the sound system,” he added.
Last month, on August 3, while thousands of Filipinos were queuing at the Dubai World Trade Center(DWTC) to avail of the various government services under the Serbisyo Caravan, Boy Dubai posted this headline ‘OFWS NEED DIGITALIZATION, NOT CARAVANS’. He said: “As someone who works in digital experience, I can’t help but say this again. What we need is digitalization, not more physical caravans. We keep flying large government teams to different countries, paying huge venues like DWTC halls, printing piles of paper, and organizing full-day events that cost millions. Imagine if that same budget was spent on building better online systems for OFWs instead.”
His post generated more than 500 comments and more than 1,000 shares. There were too many emotions expressed online on the outreach Philippine government initiative led by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which served as a one-stop venue for information, assistance, and support.
After fours day, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac issued on August 7 a public apology to those who went but turned back because of the chaos and long lines. The secretary admitted to lapses in planning and vowed to implement hybrid, digitalized solutions for future caravans, especially in Dubai. “We apologize to those who were not served on that day. But rest assured, we will be back in more ways than one—we will sharpen our digitalization efforts,” Cacdac explained.
Over the weekend, on August 30, the secretary announced that another caravan is scheduled for the UAE in November 2025. The earlier Dubai caravan was able to serve 6,000 OFWs. And in a press release issued the next day, August 31, the DMW quoted Secretary Cacdac: “We are seeing promising numbers, but our goal is not just efficiency—it’s excellence. Every OFW deserves the best process possible. We will continue to update President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as we move from pilot phase to global rollout.” His statement was regarding the app for Contract Verification developed by private company DataFlow Group.
The secretary’s admission doesn’t reflect very well on the first State of the Nation (SONA) address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022 where the newly elected president promised: “We shall automate the verification of contracts and issue secure Overseas Employment Certifications (OEC) that you can keep on your smartphone. I call on the Department of Migrant Workers and the DICT to make this a top priority.” The DMW must really work fast and double time.
Ion Gonzaga ala Boy Dubai (left) with the columnist (center) and Broadcast Journalist Rachel Salinel (right)
Ion told me that his goal was really to direct our fellow Filipinos into more meaningful conversations – not bashing. “I’m trying to be objective. Praise God I can control my emotions when writing,” he explained after I asked him about his latest post on August 27 with the subject ‘We need an OFW in the Philippine government’ which generated 60 comments and 69 shares as of September 1.
“Someone who has seen how well-governed countries actually work; where healthcare is accessible, transport is reliable, and leaders are accountable. We need someone who can bring home the best practices they’ve lived through abroad and adapt them for our people. Most of all, we need someone who truly understands the sacrifices of every Filipino who left home to give their family a better life, because they’ve lived it too. Someone who will fight for a Philippines where leaving is no longer the only option, but just a choice,” the Digital Experience Designer-cum-Blogger wrote.
Let’s therefore wait for Boy Dubai’s post to reach Malacanang Palace.
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
