Bill in Congress wants song and dance program for OFWs
OFW Family Club party-list Rep. Roy Señeres. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Being away from their loved ones, overseas Filipino workers (OFW) battle homesickness and loneliness on a regular basis while working abroad.
They may soon find merriment through song and dance if this bill becomes a law.
OFW Family Party-list Representative Roy Señeres filed House Bill 3719, which seeks to provide enjoyment for Filipinos abroad through the “Hatid Saya” program.
“We need to bring joy and merriment to our OFWs by staging musical and comedy shows with the participation of Filipino singers, movie stars, comedians and other Filipino entertainers free of charge,” said Señeres, who was a former ambassador.
The program would be an annual entertainment segment for OFWs in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Americas.
According to the bill, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with the Philippine Embassies, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, will hold the program at least once every year.
The bill wants at least P50 million to fund the initial launch of the program.
The succeeding appropriations would be sourced from the DOLE.
“The emotional aspect of working overseas will have to be confronted by the overseas Filipino workers such as loneliness, homesickness, culture-shocks experience, living away from loved ones back home for a long period of time, to name a few,” Señeres said.
“Accordingly, we need something to enliven their spirit,” he added.
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