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| OFW Families from various OFW Family Circles (OFCs) in Pangasinan joyfully pose as they cap the Financial Wellness Seminar, organized by BDO Unibank Inc. in partnership with the OWWA RWOI, on February 18, 2016, at the SM Rosales, Rosales Pangasinan. |
By Justin Paul D. Marbella
OWWA RWOI
Through games and fun-filled activities, overseas Filipino workers (OFW) families in Pangasinan learned Financial Wellness in a gathering which aimed to empower them as OFW families.
Organized by BDO Unibank, Inc. in partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional Welfare Office I (OWWA RWOI), the Financial Wellness Seminar at the SM Rosales, Rosales, Pangasinan was a venue to learn on financial literacy the fun and exciting way.
A total of 320 OFW family members took part in the free seminar. They represented various OFW Family Circles (OFCs) from various towns in eastern and central Pangasinan namely Rosales, Villasis, Asingan, Santo Tomas, Binalonan, Alcala, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Umingan, Pozorrrubio, San Quintin, Santa Maria, Tayug, Manaoag, and Bautista.
“This activity aims to encourage OFW Families to practice careful and effective financial management especially when their breadwinner is away from home,” says Ms. Catherine Avila, Program Manager for BDO Remittance. “This seminar also shows that learning financial literacy could be fun and exciting, too.”
The day-long activity was filled with joy and excitement as the OFW families joined in games which taught them budgeting, investing, and planning. Speakers from BDO also engaged the participants in lectures on the institution’s programs, such as on Remittance, Trust, Online Banking, Loans, and Insurance. The seminar was hosted by Vicente Lopez of BDO Remittance PDOS Unit, and TV Personalities Jeremy Favia and Samantha Purvor. Former OWWA Administrator Marianito D. Roque also graced the event.
The OFW families also took home freebies and prizes during the day. Some of them also opened up accounts with BDO Kabayan, where their OFW family members could now send their remittance.
“We are happy to have been a part of this seminar,” says Mr. Rommel Ulep, President of the Asingan OFW Association. “We have learned that effective financial management is indeed a key for a successful family,” adds Mr. Ulep, whose wife, Liwayway, works in Saudi Arabia for six years now.
Represented by Reintegration Unit Head Dolly Ann G. Camacho, Pangasinan Family Welfare Officer Khristian Paul Maglaya, and Labor Communications Officer Justin Paul Marbella, the OWWA RWOI expressed thanks to BDO for a fruitful partnership. “Through proper technical assistance, OFW Families could really become empowered in making sound financial decisions to secure the future of their families,” said Ms. Camacho.