I shared my Sunday afternoon, August 14, with 19 of the 20 shortlisted nominees of the 2nd Dakilang Manggagawang Pilipino (DPM) sa UAE 2022 initiated by Pinas Cargo. I was one of the four panelists who evaluated each nominee based on four criteria: Work Performance (40%), Family Life Management (30%), Church/Religious Involvement (15%), and Service to Others (15%).
This year’s batch comes from different social classes and work responsibilities, from a senior business development manager to an office female messenger, from a restaurant manager to a household service worker, and from a sales executive to a dental assistant, among others. More than half are women who are either physically separated from their husbands, are already widowed or are still single.
“The DMP is a search for a ‘Pinascagonatics’ who deserve recognition as an ordinary worker doing extraordinary acts that earn him/her love and respect at work, in the family, in society and in the church,” explained Rumelyn Aribon, HR & Marketing Manager of Pinas Cargo, during the launching on June 25.
The Top 10 will be announced on August 23 when Filipinos in the UAE will be asked to vote until September 20 on their choice as grand winner. The awarding will be held on September 25 where the eventual winner will receive Dhs5,000 in cash, a 4-day tour package to Georgia, jewellery items worth Dhs2,000, an Android phone, and other gift items and vouchers. The other nine will also receive cash prizes, gift items and vouchers from sponsors.
Pinas Cargo owner Marlyn Flores Castro said they are very grateful for the support of 30 sponsors, up from 17 sponsors last year, ‘who believed in our cause to give recognition to these ordinary Filipino workers doing outstanding job not only at the workplace but in all aspects of his life’.
Last year’s grand winner was Maryann Paglinawan. “It was on October 8, 2021, when they declared me as the first ever Dakilang Manggagawang Pilipino sa UAE 2021. I truly believe that the less you expect, great things will come your way. And somehow one way or the other God will bless you in some other forms which most of the times He makes me feel that I am loved and truly I am forever grateful for the things that He keeps on pouring upon me and my family,” shared the executive assistant to the VP & GM and concurrent ID and Finance IMEA marketing associate of an American company in Dubai.
Maryann added that till now she has been receiving compliments among her officemates and, in fact, she has been getting new awards and recognitions both in the regional and global category of her company.
Back to the panel deliberation last Sunday. All of us were inspired by the grit and resilience of most of the 19 nominees who experienced hardship when they started to work overseas. They really struggled and are now triumphant by the mere fact that they are still in the UAE. The ‘matira ang matibay’ saying is definitely true when you are working overseas.
One nominee started with a UAE oil company more than 15 years ago as a cashier and was promoted to a supervisory position and now works as an accommodation coordinator. She was considered a hero by her colleagues during the pandemic as she took care of the company’s quarantine facility. Another nominee became the first and only Filipino sales representative in her company which is owned by a European.
We also found out that most of the19 nominees had extended financial and material assistance not only with their loved ones but also with fellow kababayans during the height of the pandemic when as so many people lost their jobs or incomes in the UAE and in the Philippines.
There was one nominee who was advised by co-panelist Kabayan Bluebird of Tag 91.1 FM to treat herself sometimes with fastfood as she mentioned that she eats ‘tinapay’ and ‘pancit’ just to see her children eat Jolibee back home. Bluebird also reminded two male nominees to keep some amount of money for themselves and not to send all their salaries to the Philippines. This is the sad part of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who work so hard – sometimes exposed to the hot and humid weather – and send everything they earn back home. The unpleasant truth is OFW children are completely unaware on how their mother or father are sacrificing for their future.
OFWs are heroes not only to their families but also to the Philippines government with their monthly remittances that have kept the economy afloat. In a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Discussion Paper released earlier this year, the authors noted that ‘remittances have been an important source of financial resources to the Philippines, providing much needed foreign exchange and fiscal space’. They added that ‘remittances will continue to be a significant force in the Philippine economy over the medium term’.
One nominee who caught our admiration was the household service worker employed by an expat family who is able to go home twice a year. Her last trip was in December 2021 when she attended the graduation of her daughter who completed her course with honors.
The other panelists were social media personality and Filipino Community leader Josie Conlu of Emirates Loves Philippines and company formation and business set-up consultant Kristine Liday of V7 Group.
Last May 29, I was also a member of the Judging Panel for the Gawad Pinoy Awards on Outstanding Family and Top Filipino Teachers initiated by the Filipino Social Club in Dubai or FilSoc. The winners were recognized at the Philippine Independence Day celebration on June 25 at the Dubai World Trade Center.
Note: Art ‘Popoy’ Los Banos is a 21-year Dubai resident with his wife, broadcast journalist Rachel Salinel. He is currently the Senior Manager for Corporate Communications of the fully integrated energy logistics service provider Tristar Group, where he is the only Filipino in the senior management team. He was the former 2008 Philippine Independence Day (PID) organizing committee chairman in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Art ‘Popoy’ and Rachel were named as one of the Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf for four years, starting in 2015. In December 2019, he received the Philippine Pride Awards in Public Relations from the Philippine Business Council-Abu Dhabi chapter for his ‘exemplary leadership and tireless efforts to continuously support, boost and campaign for excellence to uplift the Filipino image.’ Recently in June this year, Art ‘Popoy’ was named as one of the Philippines’ Top 30 Leaders on LinkedIn.