"Hello! Michael, this is _____________ from PEBA Help, we are a group of bloggers reaching out to our fellow OFW's around the world. How is everything in Sana'a Yemen? Can you update us about the situation and how are the Filipino's doing in that location?"
Typical introduction, same words spoken, except changing the names and locations. * Jenny, a nurse in Bahrain, *Christine a teacher in Tokyo, Japan, and Ramil, a draftsman in Qatif Saudi Arabia.
PEBA Help is not that big, we don't have that much fund as well, but we are trying our best to help distressed OFW's around the world.
"Okay naman po dito. Magulo kasi palaki ng palaki ang nag-rarally. Kahapon nga may namatay na isa. Pumunta na dito yung isang Consul galing Saudi Arabia at dito na nga naglalagi, nilista na ang mga pangalan namin, at tinatanong kami kung sino ang uuwi ng libre" answered by Michael, an auto-mechanic working in Hyundai, Yemen.
"Magulo na po dito, nagrarally pa rin po, araw-araw ang daming dinadala sa ospital na sugatan. may pinalabas na po na ang advisory ang Embassy ng Pilipinas sa Bahrain para sa mga Pinoy dito" replied by *Jenny working as a staff nurse in Manama, Bahrain.
"Kanina may mga machine gun at tangke na nakaposte sa may kalsada, at maraming nakapaikot na militar dito sa tapat namin. Dito kasi sa tapat namin ung rally. Hindi na kami lumalabas pag may rally" reported by Ramil, based in Qatif Saudi Arabia where rallies are being held.
The most heart breaking moment was when we called, *Christine, an English teacher in one of the schools in Japan near the border Tochigi Prefecture. "Suspended po ang work namin ngayon, hindi na po kami pinapasok ng company namin dahil daw sa threat ng radiation, nagpapanic buying na po dito, nagkakaubusan na ng tubig at mga pagkain. Ang ibang Pinoy po, nag-iipon-ipon na kasi maya't maya po may lindol, mga aftershocks, at kaiissue lang po ng warning na may paparating na naman na Tsunami." We can feel the trembling in her voice, and the fears of whatever lies ahead.
We ask her to calm down, and asked if she was able to contact her family in the Philippines, and provide her contact details of Philippine embassies in Japan.
What do we usually do is contact people, we called them, assess the situation and refer them to consulates, Bantay OFW, Blas Ople Policy Center, Migrante and other groups and agencies that can help in the situation. Small ways, but it always starts from there.
PEBA Help is another social project of PEBA, Inc, helping distressed Filipino's around the world.
Wherever we are, we hope and pray that each of us will be safe from any harm and danger, and that we can continue to move on with our lives, providing for our families, and one day be back home and enjoy together with them. God bless po ang mga OFW's around the globe!
©2011 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards
