CO Puerto Princesa Conducts its First “Handa Ka Na Bang Mag-abroad?” Seminar for 2025

Speakers from  the “Handa Ka Na Bang Mag-Abroad?” inter-agency team entertained questions from participants during the HKNBM Forum held on 18 February 2025 at Robinsons Palawan Expansion area

PUERTO PRINCESA 25 February 2025 — CO Puerto Princesa kicked-off the first of its series of “Handa Ka Na Bang Mag-abroad?” (HKNBM) Seminars slated for 2025 on 18 February 2025.

The HKNBM is an anti-human trafficking education program for passport applicants aiming to find work overseas. It was  originally launched by Head of Consular Office (HCO) Liza Jane V. Estalilla during her stint as Head of Consular Office in Iloilo from 2004-2007 and carried it over during her first assignment in CO Puerto Princesa in 2013-2017 in partnership with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Puerto Princesa City Public Employment Service Office (City PESO).

The HKNBM Seminar is conducted quarterly with the aim to enhance public awareness and better understanding of the roles of the DFA and its partner agencies  in protecting the rights and welfare of Filipinos here and abroad. It also provides information on financial literacy, skills enhancement, legal recruitment processes, dealing with cultural and environmental differences, and preparing themselves psychologically for challenges that OFWs usually face while working abroad.

Since its launching in Puerto Princesa in December 2014, the program has gained increasing public interest as participants have expressed deep appreciation for the knowledge and personal empowerment they gained from attending the seminar. The HKNBM has since then been carried out over the years as CO Puerto Princesa’s flagship GAD project. It was endorsed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Palawan in a Resolution for the program to be conducted in all Municipalities of the Province and has been consistently commended by the Commission on Audit as one of CO Puerto Princesa’s best practices.

Now on its 11th year, the program has benefitted over 4,000 passport applicants, graduating students, government workers, and civilians. This HKNBM Seminar held  for the first quarter of 2025 was attended by seventy three (73) aspiring OFWs, most of whom were graduating students and young mothers who are planning to work abroad.

This being her last HKNBM Seminar before retiring this month, HCO Liza Jane V. Estalilla thanked the representatives of the HKNBM Inter-Agency Team and CO personnel for their many years of unwavering support in this project and encouraged them to continue this advocacy. After completing almost forty-two (42) years of service in the Department, HCO Estalilla expressed her profound gratitude and deep sense of pride and accomplishment for having been given the privilege to serve our beloved country and people here and abroad.

The activity concluded with the awarding of  certificates  to the happy and grateful participants who also received the HKNBM Handbook to serve as their reference as they venture to find work overseas. END

HCO Liza Jane V. Estalilla bids farewell to the HKNBM Team and participants

HKNBM participants displaying their certificates of attendance for a souvenir photo