Press Release
No EBB-57-2018
Philippine consulate general and social welfare attache in Jeddah fete outstanding ofw families
(Jeddah, 30 September 2018) The Philippine Consulate General and the Office of the Social Welfare Attache in Jeddah feted outstanding Filipino Families in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia in a grand awarding ceremony for the 2018 Search for the Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang Pilipino Award or HOPPA held at the Movenpick Hotel in Jeddah on 28 September 2018 .
Out of the 19 OFW Family nominees, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Teodoro Delos Santos was chosen as the 2018 Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang Pilipino. First Runner-up was the family of Mr. and Mrs. Fortunato Esguerra and the Second Runner-up was the family of Mr. and Mrs. Salvador Culajara.
The 2018 HOPPA is the first of its kind ever to be launched in the entire Western Region, if not, in the whole Saudi Arabia.
It is a joint project of the Philippine Consulate General and the Office of the Social Welfare Attaché, Jeddah under the leadership of Social Welfare Attaché Priscilla N. Razon. It aims to recognize and pay tribute to an OFW family in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia that has maintained strong family ties, demonstrated traditional Filipino values, and created a positive impact in the community where they live, local or overseas, in spite of the many challenges of living abroad.
The Delos Santos Family,2018 Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang Pilipino with Consul General Edgar Badajos
The patriarch of the Delos Santos family is an ex-seminarian who worked with Task Force Detainees before he came to work in Saudi Arabia in 1993. Mrs. Delos Santos was a music teacher at the St. Scholastica College before joining her husband in Jeddah. In 2005, the couple founded Serenata, a non-profit performing group composed of a children’s choir, string orchestra and male choir. Serenata has received remarkable multi-media reviews for its world-class performances and philanthropic missions. During the 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas, the Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino Award (LINKAPIL) was conferred to Serenata. As part of its advocacy, Serenata sends poor but deserving Filipino youth to college in partnership with ABS-CBN's Bantay Bata 163's Bantay Edukasyon Program.
Fortunato and Judith Esguerra, First Runner-up
The Culajara Family, Second runner-up
Consul General Edgar Badajos and Social Welfare Attaché Priscilla Razon is flanked by
the Delos Santos Family (center), winner of the 2018 Huwarang Overseas Pamilyang Pilipino;
the Esguerra Family (Right, First Runner-up); and, the Culajara Family (Left), Second Runner-Up
The HOPPA Board of Judges
The 2018 HOPPA Board of Judges was composed of Professor Mohammed Isa Carlos L. De Leon, Academic Director of Durat Al Sharq International School in Jeddah; Mr. Remigio L. De Guzman, Vice President for Middle East Operation of Skyfreight Forwarders, Inc. and 1990 Presidential (Banaag) Awardee for Most Outstanding Expatriate; and, Mr. Venecio V. Legaspi, Vice President of Al Jazira Bank, Director General of the OFW Council of Leaders (OCL), Chairman of ACTS OFW Middle East Affairs and Vice Chairman of ACTS OFW Partylist.
The 2018 HOPPA winners received plaques and cash prizes.
As the winner of the search, the Delos Santos family will be automatically nominated to the Model OFW Family of the Year Awards or MOFYA, an annual, nationwide search conducted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to recognize outstanding families of Filipino migrant workers who have shown family solidarity, financial stewardship, civic/community involvement, and entrepreneurship.
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