Press Release No. EBB-102-2019

THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN JEDDAH RECOGNIZES 2019 HUWARANG OVERSEAS PAMILYANG PILIPINO AWARDEES

11 November 2019 – The awardees of the 2019 search for the Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang Pilipino Award (HOPPA) were honored in a memorable and well-attended celebration at the Movenpick Hotel in Jeddah on 08 November 2019. The Philippine Consulate General and the Office of the Social Welfare Attaché in Jeddah organized the awards night as the culmination of an almost half-a-year search for families in the western region of Saudi Arabia who, despite the challenges of living overseas, have preserved and kept alive the traditional Filipino family values of pagpapahalaga sa family (being family-centered), God-fearing and God-centered, respect for the elderly, hospitality, and utang na loob (debt of gratitude).

In the family category, the family of Roger P. Cabacang was chosen as this year’s winner from a field of twenty-one (21) nominees. The first runners-up were the family of Mr. Samuel T. Salva, Jr. family and Mr. Danny D. Espera’s family. In the newly created “Solo Parent” category, two equally deserving solo parents were recognized, namely; Ms. Rhea Alzate and Ms. Paraluman Atienza. All the winners received plaques of appreciation and cash prizes.   They also received gift vouchers and many other tokens from several donors, including Indomie, Jollibee and Skyfreight.

Mr. Roger P. Cabacang is the Chairman of the International Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management (ICCAHM). Founded in 2017, ICCAHM serves as a training ground for Filipinos in Saudi Arabia with dreams of becoming chefs and cakes and pastry experts someday. Since its founding, the Center has already graduated more than 100 students many of whom are now working in some hotels and restaurants in Jeddah while others have opened their own businesses in the Philippines. Mr. Cabacang’s ICCAHM is consistent with one of the objectives of the HOPPA, which is to find a Filipino family that serves the community as well as it serves its own members for a brighter tomorrow.

This is the second year in a row that the Consulate has conducted the HOPPA in partnership with the Office of the Social Welfare Attache in Jeddah. The project is in line with the Philippine-wide celebration of National Family Week every year in September. HOPPA is the first of its kind among the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Consul General Edgar B. Badajos, in his Inspirational Message, said it that the sad fate of many an OFW family because of migration had been numerously portrayed in soap operas and movies back home. “It is time to promote the image of the OFW family, that there are still OFW families out there who are mightily but quietly defending the traditional family values we hold dear against physical, psychological and material harm,” he added.

The 2019 HOPPA Board of Judges was composed of Ms. Sylvia S. Delos Santos, 2018 HOPPA Awardee and Musical Director of Serenata, a non-profit performing group inb Jeddah; Ms. Miracle F. Tapado, Principal of the International Philippine School in Jeddah; Mr. Osmond B. Corpuz, Filipino Coordinator in Jeddah; and Mr. Paul Antiporda, a business executive and distinguished member of the Filipino community in Jeddah.  END 

The Cabacang Family, headed by Chef Roger Cabacang (6^5h from right) and winner of this year’s Huwarang Overseas
Pamilyang Pilipino Award (HOPPA), receives the plaque of recognition from Jeddah PCG headed by Consul General
Edgar Badajos (2^nd from left). In photo are Social Welfare Attache Anna Oidem (3^rd from left), and members of the
HOPPA 2019 Board of Judges Mr. Paul Antiporda (leftmost), Chair of the Board of Judges Ms. Sylvia delos Santos
(4^th from left), Ms. Miracle Tapado (2^nd from right), and Mr. Osmund Corpuz (rightmost).

The Salva Family, 1^st runner up of this year’s of this year’s Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang Pilipino Award (HOPPA),
receives the plaque of recognition from Jeddah PCG headed by Consul General Edgar Badajos (2^nd from left). In photo
are Social Welfare Attache Anna Oidem (3^rd from left), and members of the HOPPA 2019 Board of Judges Mr. Paul
Antiporda (leftmost), Chair of the Board of Judges Ms. Sylvia delos Santos (4^th from left), Ms. Miracle Tapado
(2^nd from right), and Mr. Osmund Corpuz (rightmost).

The Espera Family, 1st runner up of this year’s Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang Pilipino Award (HOPPA), receives the
plaque of recognition from Jeddah PCG headed by Consul General Edgar Badajos (2^nd from left). In photo are Social
Welfare Attache Anna Oidem (3^rd from left), and members of the HOPPA 2019 Board of Judges Mr. Paul Antiporda
(leftmost), Chair of the Board of Judges Ms. Sylvia delos Santos (4^th from left), Ms. Miracle Tapado (2^nd from right),
and Mr. Osmund Corpuz (rightmost).

Ms. Paraluman Atienza, (4^th from right), winner of the Solo Parent’s Category of this year’s Huwarang Overseas
Pamilyang Pilipino Award (HOPPA), receives the plaque of recognition from Jeddah PCG headed by Consul
General Edgar Badajos (2^nd from left). In photo are Social Welfare Attache Anna Oidem (3^rd from left), and 
members of the HOPPA 2019 Board of Judges Mr. Paul Antiporda (leftmost), Chair of the Board of Judges
Ms. Sylvia delos Santos (4^th from left), Ms. Miracle Tapado (2^nd from right), and Mr. Osmund Corpuz (rightmost).

Ms. Rhea Alzate (fourth from left), winner of the Solo Parent’s Category of this year’s Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang
Pilipino Award (HOPPA), receives the plaque of recognition from Jeddah PCG headed by Consul General Edgar Badajos
(2nd from left). In photo are Social Welfare Attache Anna Oidem (3rd from left), and members of the HOPPA 2019 Board
of Judges Mr. Paul Antiporda (leftmost), Chair of the Board of Judges Ms. Sylvia delos Santos (4th from left), Ms. Miracle
Tapado (2nd from right), and Mr. Osmund Corpuz (rightmost).