PH Embassy, OWWA Christmas Event Draws 1,500 OFWs

Top left photo: Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles C. Jose welcomes an excited crowd of more than 1,500 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), top right photo: the Federation of Filipino Association in Malaysia (FFAM), and ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC), featuring celebrities Lassy and Marlo Mortel, the crowd during the Pamaskong Kat-OWWA-an 2019, a Christmas concert and public outreach event organized by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) (Kuala Lumpur PE photo)

KUALA LUMPUR 16 January 2020 ­­–– More than 1,500 Filipinos in Malaysia welcomed the holidays with a bang at the Philippine Embassy’s annual Pamaskong Kat-OWWA-an held on 01 December 2019 at the Komplex Kraft (Craft Complex), Kuala Lumpur.

The whole-day event, which was organized by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Federation of Filipino Associations in Malaysia (FFAM), and ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel, is a Christmas concert and public outreach event rolled into one.

In his welcome remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles C. Jose said, “Christmas is undoubtedly the happiest time of the year for Filipinos. Pero para sa atin na nagtratrabaho sa Malaysia at malayo sa ating mga pamilya, Christmas can also be the loneliest time of the year.  Ito ang dahilan kung bakit taon-taon, sinisikap ng Philippine Embassy na magkasama-sama tayo para i-celebrate ang Pasko kasama ang ating mga kaibigan, katrabaho, ka-organisasyon, at kapwa Pinoy dito sa Kuala Lumpur” (Christmas is undoubtedly the happiest time of the year for Filipinos. Although, for us who are working here in Malaysia and are far from our families, Christmas can also be the loneliest time of the year. This is the reason why every year, the Philippine Embassy tries to gather Filipinos and celebrate Christmas with their friends, co-workers, organization co-members here in Kuala Lumpur).

In line with the Embassy’s gender and development thrusts and ABS-CBN’s public service program, the morning portion of the event featured DZMM radio hosts Dr. Carl Balita, Dr. Luisa

Ticzon Puyat, and Dr. Bles Salvador shared their expertise with the mostly-female Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) crowd in a one-hour entrepreneurship seminar, as well as the provision of one-on-one consultations on women’s health and skin care. Filipinos were also able to avail of free services, such as haircuts, reflexology, and Zumba classes.

Meanwhile, the afternoon program featured a mini-concert from the Philippine Embassy Choir led by Madame Ma. Victoria H. Jose, as well as performances from FFAM member-organizations and local Filipino band Braveheart.

The event was capped by The Filipino Channel (TFC) Hour featuring performances from ABS-CBN artists, followed by a meet-and-greet with the Filipino community. END

Top left photo: The Pamaskong Kat-OWWA-an featured a mini-concert from the Philippine Embassy Choir. Top right photo: public services such as an entrepreneurship seminar from DZMM radio host Dr. Carl Balita. Bottom left photo: free reflexology, haircuts, and health consultations. Bottom left photo: as well as performances from the Filipino community. (Kuala Lumpur PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.kualalumpurpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philembassykl.org.my or https://www.facebook.com/PHinMalaysia/.