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Saipan-based overseas Filipino workers (OFW), groups and companies
are the top sponsors of the scholarship program administered by the
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
In a report posted in both GMA 7 news and
OWWA’s websites, about 52 percent, or 107 of the 206 children of
less fortunate former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who received
scholarships in school year 2007 to 2008 under the Philippine
government’s Tuloy-Aral program, were sponsored by Filipino individuals,
groups and companies based in Saipan.
Philippine Labor Attache to the CNMI Joan
Lourdes Lavilla said the Saipan-based OFWs’ support has been
continuing “in spite of the continued economic downturn” in the
CNMI.
Saipan is the capital of the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a US flag territory in the Western
Pacific, about three hours away from Manila.
“Among the Philippine overseas labor posts,
Saipan ranked first in terms of the number of Tuloy-Aral
Scholars/beneficiaries for school year 2007 to 2008,” Lavilla
said.
This is the second school year that Saipan
ranked first among the OFW destinations in terms of the number of
Tuloy-Aral program sponsors and beneficiaries.
In SY 2006 to 2007, about 60 percent of student
beneficiaries were sponsored by Saipan-based Filipino workers,
groups and private companies.
The Tuloy-Aral Project was launched in December
2004 to assist children of less fortunate former overseas Filipino
workers, as well as other poor and needy elementary and high school
children.
Under the program, individual, group or
corporate sponsors are asked to provide $100 support per year to a
child-beneficiary to enable him/her to continue his/her elementary
or high school education.
The amount helps cover for expenses such as
books, school supplies, materials for projects, transportation,
authorized school contributions, and allowance for the whole
school year.
Tuloy-Aral is a joint project by the Department
of Labor and Employment, the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration, and the Department of Social Welfare and
Development.
The Bayani Association and the CNMI Power, two
of over 30 Filipino groups in the CNMI, sponsored the continuous
education of three sisters— Renelyn, Jastine and Mary Rose Tutor.
Their father, who worked as a contract worker on
Saipan, passed away in November 2006 due to cardiac arrest.
Other OFW groups/associations that are Tuloy-
Aral sponsors include the Marianas Filipino Women’s Association,
the Marianas Institute of Filipino CPAs and Accountants, the Multi-Sectoral
Overseas Filipino Workers Empowerment Inc., the OFW Support Group,
the UP Alumni Association-CNMI Chapter, the Visayas-Mindanao
Association of the CNMI, and Tan Holdings Employees Group.
Among the private firms that supported the
project are the Tan Holdings Corp., Century Insurance Corp. and
Pacific Marine Industrial Corp.
Three individuals are supporting the education
of the two children of OFW Marilou Ranario who remains in jail in
Kuwait, the son of the late OFW Jane La Puebla of Singapore, and son
of OFW Gwen Aguilar who is in jail in Singapore.
Government data shows that Saipan sponsor
preferences cover 10 recipient regions, along with the corresponding
number of Tuloy-Aral scholars.
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