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Saturday, July 31, 2010

PEBA 2009 Voices






The winners of PEBA 2009, "Filipinos Abroad - Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World," recall their triumph and offer their messages of thanks and support to the PEBA blogging nation.

When I wrote my article for PEBA 2009, winning was the last thing on my mind. All I really wanted was to share my thoughts on the theme. More than the award, the best that I got out of PEBA 2009 is being able to interact and work with some of the finest OFW bloggers. You can, too! Join PEBA 2010! Oh, yes. I have three winning tips for you: Write from your heart. Make them cry. And finally, kiss it if you can (I mean, keep it short and succulent, or suave and saucy, or simple and sweet). Good luck! - Isladenebz, 1st placer

There was a primary reason why we first blogged - to break the confines of our boring existence in the desert of Saudi Arabia. To merely say that wala kaming magawa was very apt. But that was before PEBA 2009. The Pinoy OFWs/Expats Blog Awards widened our reach to other people and now, the Pink Tarha has been given a direction. It's not just a diary of kikay whims anymore but a lifestyle guide. Something that helps and inspires others. For this, we are thankful for the PEBA community. To all blogging Filipinos abroad, share your passion by joining the PEBA 2010. It's one experience that will change you. To PEBA 2010, cheers! - The Pink Tarha ladies, 2nd placer

Blogging was all about sharing my thoughts and feelings at first but through PEBA, it became more than mere sharing of thoughts and feelings and having fun. Blogging has become a part of my personal and professional life and learning how people have been encouraged and inspired by my stories, I became more inspired to write and share my experiences until I had my own share of letting people know my advocacies. PEBA has actually helped open my eyes to the realities of blogging and the impact that blogs could bring. It has been a great experience. When my blog was called for the award as top 3 blog, I was so relieved and amazed! From that, I learned that it's not really all about doing something for a competition but it's all about doing things with passion and dedication. When I started my blog, I did not think of joining any competition. All I wanted to do was to share my passion and yes, I got more than I wanted. Being one of the nominees for PEBA 2010 is already an achievement in the sense that you already have contributed to an endeavor for Overseas Filipino Workers and their families. Supporting an advocacy which you believe in is the real achievement. Success in this case is not all about winning but it's all about becoming a part of one great endeavor. ~Phil Saraspe of Wits and Spirits, 3rd placer
I was a bit apprehensive when Mr. Kenji Solis, founder of PEBA, asked me to join the PEBA because I didn't know anything about blog contests and I saw that the nominees of PEBA 2009 were the best OFW bloggers. When I won, I was unexpectedly happy. Grabeh, I was glad my blog was appreciated. To all PEBA 2010 aspirants and nominees, give your stories a bit of twist; though seemingly hallowed from the old crypt of OFW tales. There should be some redeeming values in the end of the story and keep a balance of sad-happy, agony-ecstacy, and sacrifice-sucess. This will be a sure win in the PEBA. ~ Amalia Menta of Francesca in France, 4th placer
I really appreciate all the people behind the efforts in making PEBA successful each year. I've met people who, do not only eloquently share their life experiences with others, but find ways to make a difference across the globe and being a part of the organization is really an honor. When I became one of the top ten winners in the PEBA 2009, I was happy, surprised... mixed emotions. It was unexpected because I admit that the competition was really tight and all entries were deserving of the title or to be in the top 10. And also because I didn't put much effort in promoting my entry and I only have a few readers (who are also readers of other bloggers who joined the contest), I never expect much. To all the nominees of this year's PEBA, I wish you all the best. It doesn't matter whether you win the title or not, what matters is that you're writing from the heart and you give your best to contribute to achieve your goal to be heard not only by one or two people, but Filipinos around the world. And to PEBA, cheers to another year of selfless commitment to promote, uplift and unite OFW bloggers across the globe! ~ Enjoy of A Piece of Keyk, 5th placer
PEBA 2009 was an overwhelming experience, it's the joy of writing beyond blogging, sharing a part of my life through blog inspiring fellow OFWs, an OFW community and the world. To be part of the Top 10 Bloggers of PEBA is a magnanimous feeling as I share my award with my family, friends and fellow OFWs who has become part of my life and of my blog. To all PEBA 2010 aspirants and nominees, PEBA's 2010 event is more than just a contest and it's not just about winning - PEBA's cause is larger than life, an invitation for Pinoy bloggers to be part of the hub of a social media reaching out to the masses, as your life story could touch lives and bring change to an OFW family, to a "Diasporic Pinoy community" and perhaps to the world. - The Pope of Palipasan, 6th placer

To be part of PEBA 2009 is really a rewarding experience and what makes it extraordinary for me is to be a part of the top 10 winners. The award PEBA gave me somehow boosted Bonistation in the blogosphere. And I owe this to everyone who appreciated my blog particularly my winning entry, “SALUDO AKO SAYO”. Of course this honors my DAD, a tribute for his name, for my name. And for PEBA 2010 nominees, consider that you are all winners. Rock the world with your stories, stories that will capture the heart of everyone in the Blogosphere and in the whole world as well. Good luck to all nominees! More power to PEBA! ~ Bon Talampas of Boni Station, 8th placer




©2010 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards

Thursday, July 29, 2010

KEEPING THE LOVE ALIVE AMONG OFWS

Posted with permission from the author, and originally published in the Journal Online

Keeping the love alive among OFW's.


by Nixon A. Canlapan

Thursday, 22 July 2010 18:11

Originally published in Journal Online

Keeping the love alive for couples living continents apart is one of the trials overseas Filipino workers and their families in the Philippines must have to hurdle.

Stories of broken families and failed long distance relationships are no longer new among migrant Filipinos. The pain of the absence of a lovedone has become unbearable to some and has even caused broken hearts and homes to many.

This is the common fear of those who, for the first time, would have to live without the comforting arms of their relatives and friends in a foreign soil where culture and traditions are vastly different from where they come from.

Broken vow

Erlinda (surname withheld upon request), 34, and mother of two, said she and her husband got separated when she found out that her husband had impregnated his housemate in Dubai. Erlinda only learned about her husband’s infidelity when her friend saw him in a province in the Philippines where his supposed “other woman” lives.

Shock overtook her when she discovered that her husband went home in the Philippines because his lover would give birth to their first child. When she confronted him, he confessed that he and her lover got married in Dubai. The two separated with nothing left for Erlinda but the broken promises of a brighter future for her family.

A need for strong relationship

Manny Garcia, famous author of Kapeng Arabo, a book about life in the Middle East, said there could be truth to the saying that “distance makes the heart forget.”

“If the relationship is not that strong, it is doomed to fail,” he said.
OFW_copy

He added that in his years of stay in Saudi, he has seen the collapse of many relationships because of extreme loneliness on the side of the migrant worker.

This, he said, is one of the reasons why Filipino workers opt to look for companionship that often ends up in an illicit affair.

“Maraming tukso kapag wala ka sa tabi ng minamahal mo,” he said. He said this is one of the sacrifices an OFW has to face.

“Pero kahit naman ang mga naiiwan sa Pilipinas ganun din. Marami dito ang nagpapakamatay sa kakatrabaho, to the extent of sacrificing their own happiness para sa pamilya, nila pero ’yung mga iniiwan nila naman ang hindi makatiis at nagkakaroon din ng mga affairs,” he said.

“Kapag nasa abroad ka, you have to spend the rest of the day killing time. Let’s say you work only for eight hours; you still have 16 hours to kill. Kapag nag-iisa ka sa apartment o kapag magkakasama kayo sa iisang apartment o compound, kayu-kayo na lang ang nagpapalitan ng sama ng loob na madalas na-dedevelop into something deeper than friendship,” he said.

“But this is not always the case, meron naman tayong mga kababayan na talagang wala nang inisip kundi ang kapakanan ng pamilya nila. Hayun, madalas nasa harap ng internet at kausap ang pamilya,” he said.

He said the advent of the internet has somehow lowered the number of broken Filipino families. He said the internet has huge advantage for both the OFWs an
OFW2d their loved ones.

“Mas madali na ngayon ang communication between two parties,” he said.

He said families of OFWs must invest in computers. “Letting your love ones know you care for them is just one click away,” he said.

Derek & Cynthia: For the love of Cynrick


Frederick Bonifacio, an artist and photographer, said when his wife Cynthia had decided to go to Italy to work, he prepared himself for the prospect of living alone and by playing a mom and a dad in raising their only daughter Cynrick, 8.

He said it was hard at the beginning but now that the internet is available, he finds it easy to make her feel closer to home.

He said he always makes sure that he would send message of love to his wife “to make her feel that she is important in my life.”

“When we talk, I always assure her that everything is alright and that I and our daughter miss her and always pray for her,” he said. He said he always sends her photographs of their daughter and always makes sure that she would get the latest news about the progress of their child in school and that she is always in good health.

“Masakit nang umalis siya, pero I know that she also needs to grow at alam ko rin naman na para sa pamilya namin ang ginagawa naming sakripisyo. Napag-usapan namin na one day, baka sumunod kaming mag-ama sa Italy para magkasama na kami doon,” he said.

He said his wife will come home for a vacation. He expressed his and his daughter ‘s excitement over his wife’s homecoming.

Nestor & Leila: Always the 1st time

Nestor Faustino met her wife, Leila, a nurse at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when they were both new in the Middle East.

They eventually got married and are now celebrating their 25th anniversary. They were blessed with three beautiful daughters – Lanie, 23; Anna Coritha, 20; and Neslie, 17.

Nestor said it was love at first sight in
OFW1 a land where you find happiness by meeting fellow Filipinos.

“I was madly in love with my beautiful wife and until today, the light in our hearts continues to shine for each other,” he said.

He said, they went back home for good in 1996, but Leila returned to the same company in Saudi Arabia in 1998.

He said Leila comes home every six months “as if there are always special occasions in the house.”

“We make sure that everytime she goes home for a vacation, she is always warmly welcomed. And for the two of us, it is always a honeymoon,” he said.

And how does he keep the music playing?

“We both have trust on each other. We love each other very much,” he said.

Joseph & Marieta: Communication is key

Marieta Prenda, whose husband has been working for seven years as a seaman, said they too had a hard time adjusting to living alone oceans apart. She said she too had a night of longing which always ended up in tears. However, she knows that her husband left to give their two children – Vince and Kyla – the best education they could have.

She said: “Binubuhos ko sa mga anak ko ang pagmamahal ko sa husband ko.” She said before her husband decided to work on a foreign ship, they discussed the situation intensely.

“We agreed to stick to our marriage vows; that everything we would do is for the future of our children. We know that we have a moral obligation to raise our children,” she said.

While she, too, has her own work, she said it is not enough to sustain the family. Her husband’s sacrifices are now bearing fruit as they have already built their own dream house.

After this, she said, “mag-iipon na kami ng pampuhunan kahit sa maliit na business lang muna. Kaya nga bago siya umalis alam na niya where the money should go. Gusto kong malaman niya na ang lahat ng pinaghihirapan niya ay may patutunguhan. Ayokong isipin niya na napupunta sa wala ang perang ipinapadala niya sa aming pamilya niya,” she said.

She regrets that there are many families who suddenly feel they are rich just because they have relatives working abroad.

“They spend unabashedly without thinking of their loved ones na nagpapakahirap sa abroad. this will never happen to me,” she said.

She gives these tips to couples who are worlds apart to keep the good music playing.

1. Always open the line of communication – She said it is important that couples must find ways to communicate to each other.

2. Make her or him feel mportant -- When you talk to your loved one make sure that they are important. “When I talk to my husband, I always give him the best news as possible. Ayoko nang nag-aalala siya. I always make sure na puro magagandang balita ang natatanggap niya.”

3. Make everyday a brand new day – She said everyday must always be a new day. “Always look at the brighter side of life.

4. Pray to God – She said everytime she feels lonely, she talks to God and prays to Him for guidance.




©2010 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards

Friday, July 23, 2010

More Nominees Are Coming [3rd Update | June 25, 2010]

When it rains, it pours! We're not talking about torrential rains of July in the Philippines, it's all about the pouring of Nominees on PEBA 2010 sky.

Since Day 1 of this event, we'd been receiving an average of 2 nominees per day and we are extremely happy for the wave of support from our Global Filipino talents who have believed in the advocacies of PEBA 2010.

We are thrilled to introduce the newest addition to PEBA 2010 Nominees for OFW Blogger Division (3rd Updated | June 25, 2010) .


Anak Ng Tokwa,
Nueva Ecija, Philippines
OFW Supporter - Nominee Number 3

From Nueva Ecija, Philipines, Nominee #3 for OFW Supporters is "Anak Ng Tokwa" with her blog entry entitled "Uuwi Ako" is an emotional memoir of Karen (the author) on the appalling death in her family and the painful homecoming of her OFW brother that brings out true human emotions of love, longing and despair within the family.


The story explores the OFWs human emotions at its strongest point, that amidst the pain and griefs that they experience in life, in their hearts you'll find their unconditional love for their families. >>>
Click to here to follow her entry



A + A = i + BC,
California, U.S.A.
OFW Blogger - Nominee Number 7


"A + A = i + BC" is PEBA's Nominee #7 for OFW Blogger Division with her blog entry entitled "Jeremy, I Truly Miss" written by Arlini presents a short but emotional conversation between the author and her 3-year old nephew that leaves twinge in the heart of its reader.


In the midst of prevailing racial discriminations that an OFW faces in the foreign land, she gathers her strength and determination to face all the odds in life through the love and care of her family back home. >>> Click here to follow her entry.


Jettros Hangout,
South Korea
OFW Blogger - Nominee Number 6

From South Korea, Jettro's Hangout is Nominee #6 for OFW Blogger Division; with his entry "Kaligayahan Ko ang Kanilang Kaligayahan", it is a story of pain, sacrifices and glory of an OFw in its determination to provide a happy and healthy life to the family he left behind.

Jettro finds the greatest challenge of the OFWs not only in
uplifting the financial status of the family and of our country's economy but on the challege of maintainining our Filipino reputation as world's finest migrant workers in shaping the world. >>>Click here to follow his entry


Mga Kathang Isip Ni Kiko,
Doha City, Qatar
OFW Blogger - Nominee Number 5

Mga Kathang Isip Ni Kiko's entry "Kada-buwan ay Pasko sa Pamilya ng OFW" is PEBA 2010's Nominee #5 for OFW Blogger Division from the Doha City, State of Qatar. Kiko's emotional journey as an OFW begins on the fateful afternoon of December 25 leaving his family behind while all the Filipinos are gathered in their homes with their families celebrating Christmas.

Defying homesickeness, Kiko discovers the joy of blogging as it brings inspirations to our Global Filipinos around the world as his writings are published worldwide in various media platforms. He narrates the importance of modern digital communication as an effective tool in bridging the distance between the OFWs and families left in the Philippines. >>>
Click here to follow his entry.

BatangGala,

Vancouver, Canada
OFW Blogger - Nominee Number 4


From Vancouver, Canada, Nominee #4 for OFW Blogger Division,
BatangGala's blog entry (authored by BatangGala) entitled "Kaya Natin 'To!" (We can do it), is riveting emotional drama of a migrant daughter where both of her parents are working overseas while she was left with an enormous tasks of caring for her younger sister.

BatangGala is a testament of strength and steadfast determination of the OFW Children in their struggle on the emotional impact of migration and the triump of reunification of family. >>>
Click here to follow her entry


Gumamela Ng Paraiso,

Taipei City, Taiwan
OFW Blogger - Nominee Number 3

Nominee #3 for OFW Blogger Division is from Taiwan, Gumamela ng Paraiso's entry entitled Pagsasalamin sa Pamilya penned by Bhing is a story of success over sacrifices, with her umarried life, she became a beacon of light for her family in the Philippines where she prioritizes the education of her siblings down to her "pamangkin".

Her unselfish love and dedication towards work as Caregiver has earned her the affection of her employer, and where she found her second family in the foreign land, enough to dispel the loneliness of a solitary life. >>> Click here to follow her entry


Kayni's Corner Cafe,
Washington DC, U.S.A.
OFW Blogger - Nominee Number 2


Kayni is from Washington DC, U.S.A., who courageously shared the heartbreaking story of her sister as a Domestic Helper in Hongkong on how she bravely faced her legal battle against her employer and victoriously win the case, but it's just one of the many battles she needs to win, like most other OFWs, a battle to save her marriage awaits her on her way Home.

Kayni's Corner Cafe's entry entitled "Outside Looking In" is PEBA's Nominee #2 for OFW Blogger Division, an entry that calls on the OFW community to unite and become a powerful voice towards change. >>> Click here to follow her entry.


Different tales, different lives, but all centered towards one goal -
Strengthening the OFW Family.


Let us read their stories and be inspired -
if it touches you, it has touched your family too.


Related articles : PEBA 2010 Welcomes First 3 Nominees


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