Innholdsfortegnelse for TGFM Issue 8 - December 2020 i The Global Filipino Magazine

The top reason why Filipinos opt to work abroad is due to the fact that they want to provide their families with a comfortable life. As a provider of a comfortable life, the majority of migrant workers are dreaming to build their own ‘home’. This is why Giebeth Ellaine Laxamana, an SMDC (SM Development Corporation) international property specialist based in UAE, exists--to give overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a chance to have their own dream house and subsequently provide a better life. Before joining the SMDC, she used to work in various industries, including logistics, manufacturing, and trading. This year, during the peak of the pandemic, she took the challenge to be part of the real estate developer. “What I love about my currency job is I have the opportunity to…

Changing thousands of Filipino migrants’ lives for five years now, the Filipino Institute has recently held its first in-person graduation ceremonies since March. More than 100 students have joined the ceremonies from different batches and classes. One of the students who finished the Caregiver ladderized course is Roman Duenas. Hailing from the province of Batangas, Duenas, 32, has been living in the UAE for seven years now and had spent most of his time in the F&B sector. Currently, he is working as an administrative staff at a multi-national company based in the UAE with remote offices in other Middle Eastern and African countries. Duenas, despite having a full-time and demanding daywork, was able to finish studying Caregiver classes from 1.1 until 2.2 from the Filipino Institute and graduated with…

For the last 27 years, Jeremias Catmco Lopez has been living and working in the Middle East, and if there is one thing he learned while abroad it is to love one’s work and never stop learning. Growing up in a suburban community in Cebu, his family led a simple life--no electricity and went on foot about four kilometres to school. Being the eldest among the nine siblings, the provincial boy, once in a while, join his mother in the market to sell sweet potatoes and vegetables, among others, to purchase their basic needs. With their economical situation back then, his father, a farmer, and his mother, a housewife, couldn’t support his dream to be a successful engineer. With his insistently strong desire to be an engineer, his parents agreed…

Despite all the problems that hit her, failure has never overtaken her determination to succeed in life. Rhona Morada was just an employee, now, she is a full-fledged entrepreneur as one of the owners and the CEO of COUPOONSHOP UAE, a business model based on subscription and discount offers for various business services. Hailing from Lipa, Batangas, Morada is the youngest among eight siblings. With a vision to provide a good life for her parents, she took a leap of faith and try her chances as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in 2006. Her first job role in the UAE was as a Project Manager for a Dutch company. “Such paved the way for my development and foothold in the oil industry,” she said. A few years later, she chanced…

Multi-awarded and internationally acclaimed Filipino photographer Jophel Ybiosa has concluded 2020 with a big bang after receiving numerous accolades for his excellence in the field of photography. Initially worked as a cruise ship photographer then eventually promoted as a master photographer, the world-class Filipino artist’s job includes portrait and events photography, processing photos, selling finished products, and providing excellent customer service to guests. “As a master, the task is to manage a premium studio onboard plus providing a unique photographic experience,” he added. Before joining his current company, he previously worked as a photographer and videographer under the production house of a Filipino celebrity Robin Padilla. Ybiosa is also part of immersion programs and charity works mostly in Mindanao organized by the celebrity. He also established the Team Juan Makasining,…

A former ‘rakitera’ or a person who has a lot of income-generating activities, Arlie Villarmia’s reason why she worked abroad is to help her family and provide them the assistance that they deserve. Started working as a freelance worker in Dubai, Villarmia has collaborated with numerous agencies to work as an events usherette, events coordinator, beauty brand promoter, and freelance commercial model. She revealed that through her earnings for almost four years, she was able to help her mother pay up loans and send money to family members left in the Philippines. As someone who wants to pay it forward, she used to give her salaries to her mother and only ask for a certain amount to buy essentials. “Masaya na ako doon. Hanggang sa dumating yung point na I…

FADHEL HUGO RAHEEM ACCOUNTING 2 ROSALYN DOPING CABRAS ACCOUNTING 3 ELGIE ELVIRA INOC CALAGO CAREGIVER 1.1 JACKELYN GUEVARA CAREGIVER 1.2 SALMAN MAPURO CAREGIVER 1.2 HAZEL G. LUMBAB ACCOUNTING 2 RUFFA PINTAC CABONITA ACCOUNTING 3 KAYENA DIN CAREGIVER 1.1 JASMIN DJOANNA ABAYA CAREGIVER 1.2 SHEANY PHIL CABIGAS CAREGIVER 1.2 LORDLYN JOY T. TABALUS ACCOUNTING 2 DANICA UY BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 1 LOLITA CURITAO MEBRANO CAREGIVER 1.1 JERAMINE GAERLAN REYES CAREGIVER 1.2 VENUS BUNDA CAREGIVER 1.2 SEENA S. BEEVI ACCOUNTING 2 DANIEL GAMALE ESLING BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 1 LORAINNE JANE BUGARIN CAREGIVER 1.1 JULIETA D JANAO CAREGIVER 1.2 VINA MENDOZA CAREGIVER 1.2 DIZZLE CONCEPCION ACCOUNTING 3 REYNA OBAL ROYO BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 1 MARIA ESTELLA MORALES PONSECA CAREGIVER 1.1 DIZZLE CONCEPCION CAREGIVER 1.2 AILYN BINOS CAREGIVER 2.1 JESSAMINE C. VILLABLANCA ACCOUNTING 3 ALVIN CHRISTOPHER T…

Having a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree offers a wealth of advantages. And for Ramil Solis, a Dubai-based overseas Filipino worker (OFW), despite working in the accounting and finance industry for more than two decades now, he believes that there is still a need for him to secure a degree as the competitive business world continues to evolve. Solis has recently graduated from the Filipino Institute Dubai campus and was awarded ‘best presenter’ during their business proposal defense. His group, on the other hand, has ranked first in the defense. During the in-person graduation ceremonies of the Filipino Institute on December 4, in his speech, he revealed that his father is a carpenter and his mother is a laundrywoman for almost 20 years and an elementary graduate. “But her…

For five years, the Filipino Institute has not only been supporting the Filipino community in the Middle East but also extending its services to non-Filipinos. Rwandan Alice Bizimana, a 37-year-old customer service executive for an events company in Dubai, has recently graduated from the training centre with flying colors. During the physical graduation last December 4, Bizimana was honored with the second rank for the classes Massage Therapy Basic and Advance under the trainership of Mr. Marlo C. Aljentera. “My experience with the Filipino Institute is very wonderful, and the best, you can’t imagine how happy I am right now. Supportive and friendly lecturers and staff. At first, I thought it will not be easy for me when I heard that it’s a Filipino school, but everything went smooth,” she…

At a young age, Sherizze Sean Acot has already been exposed to bigger responsibilities already. Despite having no intention of working abroad, she found herself following her father’s footsteps who is out of the country most of the time. Realizing that she won’t be able to reach her maximum potential if she stays in her comfort zone and not take the risk, Acot grabbed the opportunity and trusted the process, and went on with the flow of life. The 25-year-old overseas Filipino worker has landed a job at the Montage Oil DMCC, an oil, gas, and petrochemicals company under the logistics and documentation section in 2017. Reaching milestone at an early age Acot has started ramp modeling at the age of 12 under a modeling agency then ventured into pageantry…

A clinical advisor in the UAE, Dr. Angelo Nino Santos, fondly called ‘Doc Gelo’, did not only find love in medicine. Aside from having an extremely challenging and cerebral work at the NOW Health International, an international medical insurance company, he also found love in blogging and snapping travel photos. As a clinical advisor, his job includes medical review and pre-authorization from outpatients treatment and diagnostics to inpatient medical and surgical admissions. He also coordinates with different medical providers across Europe, Middle East and Africa region, and sometimes in Asia, Australia, and the Pacific, South and North America as well. He arrived in Dubai in 2014 with a goal to earn a better and lucrative salary and enjoy numerous benefits that he believes he will never receive in the Philippines.…

Grew up in austerity, Dubai-based operating room nurse Mary Grace Eyaya embarked on an overseas life eight years ago. A mother with two kids, the frontline hero worked for a vascular centre and on the sidelines, she imparts her knowledge to aspiring nurses as an instructor. “I love my job because there’s a work-life balance. I have a great degree of control and freedom with my current work. For me, being a nurse is just about a job, not an easy one as it is a calling,” she said. She said that the most satisfying thing about her work is when she sees how happy her clients are, and how contented they are with the care she renders. One of the reasons why Eyaya chose to work in Dubai because…

Residing in Dubai for four years now, Jordan Magno, a senior concept designer in Danube Home, proves that Filipinos can rise above the challenges abroad. A graduate of Fine Arts major in Industrial Design, his work entails him to conceptualize and come up with unique and fresh ideas in accordance with the given theme be it in magazines, showroom openings, window displays, or even shelves arrangement. He is very passionate in the field and can’t see himself doing something else other than making all things stunning and pleasant to the eye. For four consecutive years and since he joined the leading home improvement and home furnishing retail brand, Magno is hailed ‘Employee of the Year’ which only means that all his hard work, perseverance, and dedication have paid off. “I…

A result-driven multi-disciplinary professional, Saudi Arabia-based Supervision Consultant in Civil Engineering Jojo Ruiz Utram is one of the few Filipinos in the Kingdom who constructed the largest university for women in the world--Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University for Women. Before starting an overseas life in the host country, Utram’s first journey as a Filipino migrant worker was as a general civil engineer at Downtown Construction WLL in the Kingdom of Bahrain between 2006 and 2008. Resign through the ranks, he was appointed as QS civil engineer cum land surveyor for various projects of the company and was later promoted to a project-in-charge for the improvement of villages and various road infrastructure projects. Currently, he is part of an Austria-based firm with major duties to supervise consultancy, site engineering, and management…

BRUCE STEVEN J. SENAR PHOTOSHOP MARIA JUAMIE M. DEOCAMPO PHOTOSHOP MARY ANN D. EROJO PHOTOSHOP VINA T. MENDOZA PHOTOSHOP VIOMEL D. SOQUERA PHOTOSHOP BELLA GRACE C. GAMBALAN PHOTOSHOP DIANNE PLANTILLA QUICKBOOKS EVELYN S. PACALDA QUICKBOOKS FELYN DECENA QUICKBOOKS GEMMARIE ALVAREZ QUICKBOOKS JUDYLAINE FRANCO GUEVARRA QUICKBOOKS ABU DHABI CAMPUS - BATCH 22 ANDREW XAVIER PRADEEPAN CAREGIVER 1.1 CHERISH C. SERGANTES CAREGIVER 1.1 DIVINA D. RUBITE CAREGIVER 1.1 ELOISA G. BARTOLOME CAREGIVER 1.1 FLORENCE L. CERVAS CAREGIVER 1.1 GLERI-ANN F. BARAERO CAREGIVER 1.1 JANELLE B. CUROD CAREGIVER 1.1 JHON KENNETH U. CONCEPCION CAREGIVER 1.1 ABU DHABI CAMPUS BATCH 22 LANIE G. LITAWAN CAREGIVER 1.1 MARY GEN V. ACOG CAREGIVER 1.1 RUMVILL M. ALMEDA CAREGIVER 1.1 DIVINA FE L. SILADES CAREGIVER 1.2 KRISTEN JOAN GRACE V. MADAMBA CAREGIVER 1.2 LIEZL V. RONTAS CAREGIVER…

The first and only Filipino entrusted to handle the highest position in a Saudi Arabia-based company in its entire 34 years of operation in the Middle East, Engr. Restituto S. Sibug managed to make a name for himself, his family, and the Filipino community. The fourth child of a farming couple, he graduated from the Technological Institute of the Philippines with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. An absolute achiever in his field of profession, Sibug is a professional mechanical engineer, a registered ASEAN engineer, and a fellow of the Philippine Society of Engineers. In 2011, he was awarded The Most Outstanding Mechanical Engineer (TOME) of the Year in the Field of Service to Community and the country during the 59th Annual National Convention. While working full-time,…

In 2008, Emilie Joy Callejo landed in UAE and as a breadwinner in the family, she was inclined to venture on overseas life. The year when the country saw a recession, she worked as a credit card sales representative for a bank. For over a decade, Callejo explored the opportunities in the country to develop her personally and professionally. She worked as a personal assistant for a managing director, joined a shipping and trading company where she learned about accounting, invoicing, and shipment, among others. Presently, she is part of the Trust Online Portal LLC as an insurance coordinator. “Basically, I am enjoying learning new things since the insurance company is new to me. I chose this field for me to learn and know how an insurance company works, this…

Just like most Filipinos abroad, Maria ‘Aizel’ Rubiano came to UAE with hopes to help her family and provide them a better life that they deserve. Coming to UAE seven years ago on a one-month visit visa was difficult. The pressure and the competition were eating her up, fortunately, she was able to secure a job in less than a month. Her first job was as a secretary for a consulting company, however, it didn’t last due to uncertainties. She quit the secretarial job and worked for four years at a construction company. Years have passed, with enough knowledge and skills, she took a career jump and worked as an HR officer for a facilities management company. “Being an HR officer is quite a challenge because you have to deal…

Believing that the key to success is to focus on goals and not on obstacles, Lorna Dalisay Salud, an overseas Filipino worker in Dubai for 10 years, proves that one can excel while working in a strange country. A graduate of Business Management and armed with 15 years of work experience, she moved to Dubai about 10 years ago to propel her career forward and be reunited with her husband. However, shortly after arriving in Dubai, her husband has passed away, leaving her as a single mother of young boys. Salud landed a customer service job at one of the world’s leading logistic companies. In less than two years, she was promoted as the team leader for customer service as for being excellent at what she was doing. During her…

A human resource professional with 10 years of experience in both academic and organizational operations, Dubai-based HR specialist Renjie A. Abellanida embarked on a ‘thrilling adventure’ into the Arab Gulf Tiger some six years ago with two main driving forces: to seek a better career opportunity and to experience a new life overseas. With a Master’s degree in Public Administration major in Human Resource Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science (Cum Laude), the 29-year-old Filipino tried his luck outside his comfort zone and explored Dubai. Abellanida was part of a Dubai-based engineering consultancy and an Abu Dhabi-based oil and gas firm from 2015 until 2018 where he served as an HR administrator and was awarded as the Employee of the Year. Currently, he worked as an HR specialist…

A message from MR. GABRIEL JOHN RIMANDO Filipino Institute Founder And President "Hats off to the new batch of graduates! It was never easy to graduate considering the current situation but you dare not to give up. If you did, you will never be a step closer to your dreams. I am glad that you were able to make it through. The Filipino Institute is so proud of you! Congratulations!" A message from MRS. CAMILLE JOY FRANCO - RIMANDO Filipino Institute Co-Founder And CEO "What you are reaping today is the result of your sincerity, hard work, and patience. And now, you are moving to a new and exciting chapter in your life. I wish you all the best for the future that lies ahead. Congratulations on your graduation."…