THE PHILIPPINES, MARCH 1, 2012: Five overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East became the first beneficiaries of TV5’s international corporate social responsibility campaign, dubbed “Give Me 5, Kapatid”. The project was launched last November 2011 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, through the help of Orbit Showtime Network (OSN).
Catherine Alvarez, Maria Angela de Jesus, Ellen Namoca, Laga Salam, and Cherry Ann Tamparong arrived in Manila last February 4 and were welcomed by the TV5 International team, led by Claro Carmelo Ramirez, president of the Pilipinas Global Network Limited, and Carmelita Dimzon, administrator of the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration or OWWA.
The group of five was treated to a special luncheon and received donations from PLDT Smart Foundation and Alagang Kapatid Foundation. They were also part of the live audience of TV5’s prime time game show Wil Time Bigtime that same day.
Give Me 5, Kapatid raised funds by encouraging OFWs “give back” to their community and donate whatever amount they could. A hat was passed around during the launch event the previous year, where participants dropped in their contribution to the project. The total amount was then matched by TV5 International and OSN and, through the assistance of the Philippine embassy in the UAE, the combined amounts were used to purchase the airline tickets that brought Alvarez, de Jesus, Namoca, Salam, and Tamparong back home.
Another goal of the project is to provide the returning OFWs with re-integration programs such as livelihood training and other seminars, which will be conducted with the help of OWWA.
Give Me 5, Kapatid also marks another of TV5’s entry into the international scene, following the expansion of TV5 International’s two channels–Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International.
In photo: PGN president Claro Carmelo Ramirez, OWWA administrator Carmelita Dimzon with the OFW repatriates
