President Benigno S. Aquino III played Santa Claus to three lucky overseas Filipino workers
by awarding each of them P450,000 worth of cash and gift certificates upon their arrival at the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Monday afternoon.
Forty-one year old Gilbert Acebedo, Evangeline Escano, 33 and Myrna Pagkaliwagan, 39
were picked over other passengers onboard Qatar Airways flight QR-646 to win top prizes
under the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s program “Pamaskong Handog para sa
OFWs.”
The annual program, which honors the country’s new heroes has as its highlight
the “Presidential Pasalubong 2010” which allows the President to welcome groups of OFWs
arriving from Asia, Middle East, Europe or America to spend time with their respective
families this Christmas season.
This year’s theme, “Pamilyang OFW, Masayang Sama-Sama Ngayong Pasko,” hopes
to inculcate in the OFW communities the positive values of family orientation and social
consciousness in recognizing the contributions of OFWs to national development and
extending a helping hand to those who have less in life.
Acebedo, who hails from Tatalon in Quezon City has been working as a salesman for three
years while Escano, a native of Tayug, Pangasinan has been employed as a nurse for six
years. Pagkalinawan, who lives in Bucal, Batangas City has been working as a teacher for six
years. The three winners all work in Doha, Qatar. (PCOO)
