2 Dubai-based OFWs celebrate birthday by giving away free food to jobless kababayans

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who had their birthdays in June skipped the usual merry-making and instead celebrated the occasion by handing out free pancit noodles and chicken food packs to the jobless.

Rosaline Baylosis and her close friend Angelo Catolico, both in their early 30s, said they thought of bringing more meaning and relevance to their birthdays by helping out those in need amid the challenging times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the past two years, we’ve been celebrating our birthdays together since it falls in the last week of June. Usually, we would hold parties with friends and acquaintances. But due to the pandemic, we have decided to give away the food package with other people instead, especially those in need,” said Baylosis, an administrative officer at a construction company whose birthday is on June 28.

People fall in line for their turn to receive the 'Pancit for Long Life' food package. Photo from Rosaline Baylosis’ Facebook page

The food relief project was dubbed “Pancit for Long Life,” from the Filipino adage that noodles prolong a healthy life. The package consists of basic ingredients for pancit bihon with chicken, “which is a star in every Filipino's birthday,” said Baylosis, who also is an award-winning photographer.

The two OFWs' efforts were complimented by management of a grocery store at Rigga, a Filipino enclave north of Dubai. The store, which sold the food packages to Baylosis and her friends on discounted price, also has a huge Filipino footfall.

“They helped us arrange the food packages and the manager, Mr. Mahesh, was generous enough to give us discount for our purchases,” said Baylosis.

She said she and her friends were planning to do the relief drive again but this time, with coordination with Dubai government agencies which regulate events like this to ensure safety and order.

“I was planning to do it again maybe after the next salary comes or if there would be an additional fund source, of course. All of the expenses in the birthday food drive were paid for through our own pocket. If we could have other sources for provisions to be distributed then that would be great,” said Baylosis.

“Also, I felt that it’s a must nowadays to extend help to others even if you don’t have that much. Until now, I am receiving a lot of messages from fellow kababayans asking for help and it breaks my heart to learn about their dire situation. I will try to have other means to help them as well as soon as possible,” she added.

Catolico, who turned 33 on June 26, is a  customer care specialist by day and a musician during his free time.

The two were also assisted by Baylosis’ partner, Roy Zablan, in organizing the event held on June 26. Their “Pancit for Long Life” food drive benefitted some 40 jobless OFWs as well as other people of other nationalities.

According to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Dubai, there are approximately over 53,100 OFWs who are on a no-work-no-pay arrangement with their employers while another 26,500 have been terminated.

There are 400,000 documented OFWs in Dubai, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. --KBK, GMA News