OWWA to revive 'Hatid Saya' program for OFWs

MANILA, August 15 ------ The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will be reviving the "Hatid Saya" entertainment program for Filipinos working abroad, OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio said.

"Ibabalik iyan. Ibabalik ang Balik Saya, Hatid Saya," Ignacio told reporters. He said that entertaining Overseas Filipinos Workers (OFW) will be one of the OWWA's initiatives under his watch, aside from providing assistance to workers and their families. Ignacio, who comes from the entertainment industry, made the announcement just days after he was named the new OWWA administrator by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Hatid Saya was first launched in the 1980s as a musical tour that featured Filipino performers, entertainers and singers, travelling to select cities abroad where there were a significant number of OFWs. The program was conceived to help ease OFWs' homesickness and culture shock, especially for those who had just migrated abroad for their new jobs.

Meanwhile, Ignacio assured OFWs that his office is on top of their concerns, as long as they are communicated through the right channels. OWWA's welfare officers in Saudi Arabia, for instance, have to cater to concerns of 2 million OFWs working there, Ignacio said. "Ang hinihiling ko lang, madalas maraming mga humihiling ng tulong. Pero sa haba ng salaysay, walang pangalan, walang bansa. Actually kahit huwag n'yo na hong isalaysay iyong inyo pong karanasan, kasi hindi naman ako ang magpo-proseso eh," he said. "Pangalan, mobile number, at kung nasaan ka. Kung hangga't kaya mong sabihin kung anong area sumasakop sa iyo... tatawag lang tayo doon sa ating welfare officers," he added.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com