PH Embassy in Manama Celebrates Women’s Day with Activities to Highlight Importance of Women’s Rights
Left photo: Kristel Ann Mendoza, hand over a copy of the Magna Carta of Women to a passport applicant. Right photo: One of the Embassy’s data-capturing machine was made available exclusively for women passport applicants. (Manama PE photo)
Philippine Embassy in Manama personnel after conducting first Friday services, with Ambassador Bahrain Alfonso A. Ver and Madame Caroline Belinda C. Ver. (Manama PE photo)
MANAMA 13 March 2019 — The Philippine Embassy in Manama and its attached agencies celebrated National Women’s Month and International Women’s Day this March by spearheading activities that advance the rights and welfare of overseas Filipino women in Bahrain.
Serbisyo Para Kay Juana
On 07 March 2019, the Embassy celebrated International Women’s Day with its “Serbisyo Para Kay Juana Project,” which gives priority to its women applicants by designating one of the Embassy’s data-capturing machines exclusively for the use of female passport applicants. The Embassy also distributed pamphlets of the Magna Carta of Women to its female clients.
A week earlier, the Embassy kicked-off its Women’s Month celebration with its first “Purple Friday” services. The Embassy has been conducting first Friday services since October 2017 to provide overseas Filipinos whose only non-working day is a Friday, with the opportunity to transact business with the Embassy.
Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar
Consul General Maria Paz G. Cortes delivering her welcome remarks during the Post Arrival Orientation Seminar. She later gave an overview of Bahrain’s culture, and discussed the “do’s and don’ts” while living and working in Bahrain. (Manama PE photo)
On 08 March 2019, the Embassy, in coordination with Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Bahrain, conducted a Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) for newly-arrived domestic workers in Bahrain.
Embassy services such as consular and assistance-to-nationals services and those provided by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO-OWWA), Social Security System (SSS) and Pag-IBIG), as well as Bahrain culture and relevant laws in Bahrain were discussed during the PAOS.
Representatives from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) were also present to discuss its services for migrant workers in Bahrain.
A total of 161 domestic workers and agency representatives participated in the PAOS, 98 percent of whom are female.
Financial Literacy Seminar
Left photo: Welfare Officer Redina C. Manlapaz discussing the proper way to spend and save. Right Photo: Participants preparing their monthly income and expenses plans.(Manama PE photo)
Meanwhile, OWWA conducted a Financial Literacy Seminar on 08 March 2019, with 53 members of the Filipino community participating.
Welfare Officer Redina C. Manlapaz, the Resource Person of the seminar, emphasized that overseas Filipino workers should spend wisely and save-up for the future. The participants were also taught to plan their monthly expenses, and were made to prepare a monthly budget plan for savings and family expenses.
PINAY Ikaw Na! 4th Anniversary Celebration
Left photo: Cultural Officer Josephine Tabangin (first from the left), Mama Sita’s Mixes and Sauces Area Distribution Supervisor Aries Geronimo (middle), and Madame Caroline Belinda C. Ver (first from the right), wife of Ambassador Alfonso A. Ver, during the presentation of winners of the cooking contest co-sponsored by Mama Sita’s. Right photo: Free make-over sessions from Pinay Ikaw Na!
Embassy officers and staff, together with Madame Caroline Belinda C. Ver, wife of Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso A. Ver, participated in the fourth founding anniversary celebration of PINAY Ikaw Na! (PIN), an all-female Filipino community organization in Bahrain.
PIN organized a seminar on breast and cervical cancer awareness, and offered free make-over sessions to the participants. A cooking contest, co-sponsored by Mama Sita’s Mixes and Sauces, was also one of the highlights of the event. END
For more information, visit www.manamape.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinBahrain.