OFW finds better way to support family

10/05/2008

Like many overseas Filipino workers, Eden de Castro Villa realized early the sacrifices she would be making and challenges she would be facing to earn a living in a foreign country.

Working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, not only did she have to deal with homesickness, she also endured the shabby treatment from her employers. “People look down on you if you are a domestic helper. It doesn’t matter if you are educated or not,” she said.

Determined to find respect and a better way to support her family, De Castro Villa returned to La Union and pursued various business ventures, from opening a small school supply store to starting her own handicraft business, manufacturing hand-woven baskets.

As her family grew, she and her husband began looking for opportunities to expand their small company. She enrolled in a technology-training program for OFWs called Tulay, hoping to just learn how to use a computer. After graduating from the program, she discovered that she can now do more than just operate a computer. She also realized the vast potential of technology to boost their family business.

Tulay is a Microsoft Unlimited Potential Community Skills Program which provides OFWs access to both technology and technology training. “Through Tulay, we are showing the real-world value of technology and how it changes the way people live,” said Mae Rivero-Moreno, PR and Community Affairs manager, Microsoft Philippines.

‘We Filipinos are very family-oriented and this program offers ways for families to remain in touch through e-mail or chat,” Rivero-Moreno said.

‘Moreover, Tulay broadens career opportunities for OFWs and helps reintegrate them into the economy upon their return, by empowering them with technology skills.”

“Eden is one of many Tulay graduates who have successfully applied their newfound knowledge to explore different economic opportunities,” she said.

As a supplier of one of the country’s biggest chain of malls, De Castro Villa logs on to a Web site where she finds necessary information such as job orders and exhibit venues.

“The site also allows us to collect payment online so I don’t have to travel for hours to claim payment in Manila,” she said.

In addition to utilizing the Internet to research and transact business, De Castro Villa also uses Microsoft PowerPoint to create presentations for the Department of Trade and Industry where she occasionally delivers lectures on basket-making. The former OFW, who also learned how to use a spreadsheet application, now manages their inventory efficiently as well.

“The Tulay program helped me see how far we could take our business and how we could take advantage of the power of technology to improve our operations,” De Castro Villa said.

Through Tulay, Microsoft provides grants to non-government organizations operating public centers where people can gain IT skills and training to help themselves and their communities. The centers are equipped with Internet connection and web cameras.

Tulay utilizes the Unlimited Potential curriculum — customizable training modules developed in the United States and used in more than 100 countries — to train OFWs and their families in basic computer, Internet, e-mail, and digital media fundamentals, as well as word processing, spreadsheet presentation and database applications. The curriculum has also been translated in various languages.

Tulay Community Technology Learning Centers (CTLCs) are located all over the world, with four new centers opened most recently in Rome, Italy, Bicol and Zamboanga. Locally, centers can also be found in the offices of the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Manila, Cebu, La Union, Cagayan de Oro, and in the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) office in Ortigas.

Since its launch in 2004, OWWA has been a partner of Microsoft Philippines in implementing the Tulay program and other initiatives for OFWs.

‘’Our OFWs are modern-day heroes for the Philippine economy,’’ said Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque. ‘’They contribute significantly to our economy and it is only proper that we are able to help them to stay in touch with their loved ones left here in the country.’’

Roque said Microsoft is the first IT company to forge a partnership with OWWA. ‘’We are pleased that Microsoft continues to work on means to support OFWs and their families,’’ he added.

Emboldened by their modest achievement, De Castro Villa looks forward to starting another enterprise to be able to generate employment in her hometown. ‘’I’d like to be able to provide jobs for others, so they would not have to go out of the country and go through the hardships experienced by OFWs like us.’’

According to Rivera-Moreno, Microsoft is following through on its commitment to empower Filipinos and communities through technology. ‘’We know that providing access is only part of the solution. It’s also important to ensure that individuals have the skills and training that they can bank on and enable them to see how much they can accomplish and achieve with the aid of technology,’’ she said.

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