The Filipino Migrants: October 2012

Wednesday 31 October 2012

OAV Registration in Nigeria

The OAV Registration in Abuja, Nigeria
The Philippine Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, West Africa had its full campaign for OAV registration. It included the 19 West African countries under its jurisdiction for this exercise.
The deadline is today October 31, 2012.

Lagos
Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria and still its commercial center is 45 minutes via airplane and eight or more hours by road from Abuja. OFWS are employed in various companies there.

To give further assistance to Filipino nationals there, Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria HE Alex V. Lamadrid traveled to Lagos to conduct the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) registration and at the same time processed e-passport and other consular documents.

The Philippine Embassy registered 60 voters and 1 transfer of records for OAV there. There are 449 OAV registrants (registration and certification) for this year.
Data had been collated by :
                      Nadjefah A. Mangondaya
                      Attache
                      Trade and Economic/Political/Public Information Officer
OAV/PAG-IBIG Focal Person
Philippine Embassy
Abuja, Nigeria

Below are some photographs taken while the Filipino Community (PPA) under the leadership of John Hernandez of Julius Berger, PLC had the Family Day in June at Usman Dam. One of the items accomplished was the OAV registration:

Atty. Mangondaya (OAV Volunteer) while setting the computer in preparation for the OAV registration

Mr. Wilmar Dadia of ABUMET Co. had his fingerprints taken

Mrs. Marisa Mercado of the Austrian Embassy had her picture taken for the OAV registration

Corazon Q. Ponce, Rosalie R. Raborar, Suseth R. Montecalbo while filling the form and Clifford Legal (OAV VRM Operator) and Atty. Haznor L Mangondaya (OAV Volunteer) looked on

Ms. Rosalie Raborar in the process of registering

Mr. Zaman Umpa as registered by Nadjefah Mangondaya while Jabar Guro the Philippine Embassy Finance officer looked on

Wednesday 24 October 2012

OFWS Sportsfest in Abuja: Part 3

Sportsfest Part 3

Proud to be Pinoy ...at sama-samang nagsasaya...at nakikibahagi sa paglalaro sa kapwa manggagawa

Doods: ...the graceful act of stopping the ball -

Sunday came and the sportsfest intensified. Championship is looming. Each team wants to win more points. Sports-minded Pinoy defied the heat as usual. Caps, umbrellas, bandannas abound.
Lito Nucum of the Blue Team is the FIRST champion of this sportsfest. He won the Scrabble for the singles race.
Gladys cooked tapsilog for the hungry athletes. And they were asking for more.
Lunch and merienda is at the usual venue under the 'Tree of Life' where the Pinoys gather and eat and rest and just enjoy the rest of the day while the noise and the roar of laughter in the DART contest reverberated through.
Another fruitful and satisfying Sunday for the OFWS in Abuja.

...SCRABBLE..in style: that's Nadj with son watching Lolit and Lito for the championship; ...and Fely (kahit ba mahirap mag-isip, eh...pose na lang) vs Weng (lagay na ng tiles habang busy sa posing si Fely...daliiiii....)

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball - Blue vs Red: all set for the game... Maris, Rex, Archie, Renz ....ready na rin si Sheen ng Red

Green vs Yellow: the intensity of the game shows - bumagsak tuloy si el presidente John at si Densyu - naku naka-ready na to stop the ball..

BADMINTON

...while playing volleyball Blue vs Red...here's Badminton: Melanie of the Blue and Gina of the Red

Badminton: Green vs Yellow; Men's - Raymond of the Blue and Nhur of the Red; while nakasalampak sa semento ang mga scorers na si Efren at si Jabar

BASKETBALL

Basketball...they actually kept the time - Blue vs Red - kaya si Jesslyn ay kasama ng Red...(pose na lang si Archie at si Rami)

...so close - parehong naghahabol ng score...(talo na lang....)

...si Ernel with the yellow ladies team mates; John and Willy; Dennis and Jabar (...and kaninong braso 'yon?....)

CHESS: Red James vs Blue Jabar - wrong move ang Blue (nag-retire tuloy, maingay daw ang miron...heh heh heh)

...after a hectic, hot game... up to the Tree of Life...anduon na ang paboritong tindahan ni Teofie...

...halo-halo...or dinuguan?....mga undecided pa...hirap na si Mabelle mag-isip...

...time to relax and eat...Tanong lang...ano ang pinakakasilip-silip ni Willy, ni JT, ni Tickboy at ni Rex?

...wala naman palang sinisilip...napatingin lang sa nagtitinda. ayun si Weng, likod na lang daw muna, si Janet, si Willy, si 'Romeo' (ha ha ha, iyan ang name ni JT), si Tickboy, si Rex at si Fely (marekoy, pwede ka nang huminga....)

...after the Halo-halo - okey na ang posing: sina Jesslyn, Sheen, Marilyn and JT...

...ayan si Gina after winning the badminton game with Marilyn; Edna, Melanie and Berna cheering the Volleyball game; Marlyn, Gina and Fely (before meals...)

...all for the love of PPA - ayan si Gel 'selling' bottled water; si Densyu, sumakit ang kalyo sa paglalaro ng volleyball; si Sherwin, napagod sa paghabol ng bola sa tennis; at si John, kinakantyawan pa ni Gilbert at ni JT na hindi na makapagbukas ng barbecue sauce; at si Fely, ayun busog na!

FOTO OF THE DAY
Vernie of JBN had a tough time giving his decision...ipapakuha na ba ang basura o pagbabantayin pa ng matagal ang tanod...

...beer na lang kaya...nakakataba naman ang halo-halo, eh...

Friday 19 October 2012

OFWS in Abuja: Sportsfest Part 2

OFWS: Sportsfest
October 14, 2012 at 7:00am
National Stadium, Abuja

Proud to be Pinoy

...a united PPA - pang-porma pa rin!

Part 2 of the Sportsfest was still going strong...that's something OFWS here in Abuja look forward to every Sunday. Where the Pinoys normally laze around on Sunday mornings, this time is different - athletes and supporters of each team and friends rise and prepare for the games ahead.
The BLUE TEAM syempre lahat ng naka-blue - Archie (JBN), Ronnie (Churchgate), Botch (JBN), Rami (JBN) Renz (JBN) Sherwin (D and S), and Raymond Chen and chess player Ofili posed with Manager Tickboy Mercado. Officials officiating BLUE vs YELLOW in green: TJ (Churchgate) and Efren (JBN), in red Gel and Danilo - the referee (with sunshades) of US Embassy.

...the BLUE TEAM

The Yellow Team obligingly posed as requested for the records - Mike of the Philippine Embassy, 'Atoy Co', Vernie of JBN, John (PPA el Presidente also of JBN), Mark of Philippine Embassy, Doods of JBN and Ness...

The YELLOW TEAM

...and as the game is about to commence, another sitting for the officials of the game - Danilo, TJ, Efren and Gel (syempre porma muna). Jump ball between cousins (of the opposing teams) Renz of the Blue ably supported by Archie and Doods of the Yellow also supported by teammate Mike...

...and the game starts....

Blue vs Yellow: skills in array...

Janette and Weng...supporters of Yellow jersey no. 15 'Atoy Co' and the ladies in yellow: Rose Aton and Cris Chico and Emma (seated at the back) of Igbenedion with Elsie Ababon (Xcell Plus Salon)

...in action! ...aaaaaannnnnd no matter how the blue supporters yelled, the Yellows prevailed...

GREEN vs RED

...another exciting game....hhhhhrrrrrrmmmmppppp Green won AGAIN!!!

VOLLEYBALL Match: BLUE vs YELLOW

AND the photos showed how the 'epic' battle was won by the BLUE TEAM - the Blues lost the first match; won the second; and THEN.... got the upper hand in the final match!!!

...a very breath-taking game...that's Maris (of the Austrian Embassy) at the center of the Blues...

...and Doods of JBN (Maris' son) at the center of the Yellows...

...break even...


GO GO GO BLUES....

...the inspiration of the BLUES? our MVP - Maris!

...the faithful, loyal and true supporter of Maris - KIKO!

THE BALL GAMES ended for the day and the Pinoys trooped under the tree locally known as Orishi, the tree of life as explained by the Nigerian priest Fr. Chibueke Ojilere. Quite literally taken, the hungry and thirsty sports people and supporters gathered under this very tree as the cool shade provided relief from the scorching heat. Coupled with the entrepreneurial spirit of Pinoys, the spot became a little plaza - some wares for sale, there were puto and kutsinta, pansit and adobo, bar-b-que and the Pinoys' favorite HALO-HALO!

...there's Clifford and Islao; Emie and Ef at the back; Maebs, Rose, Sheen, Elsie...

AND while having a very good time under the tree, Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid arrived with Fr. Ojilere. The Reverend Priest stayed in the Philippines for 10 years and became fluent in Tagalog. His first mission was in Mindanao with the poorest of the poor, where he also experienced the harsh reality of being in poverty - he became a teacher, a carpenter, a doctor, an engineer, a jack-of-all-trades rolled into one just to help the villagers. One Sunday while he was officiating in the mass, gunshots were heard and the villagers run for their lives. Standing all alone he came face-to-face and was taken by the Abu Sayyaf. He was held captive for 3 days. It must have dangled in his mind the kidnapping and killing of an Italian priest around that time, too. He was released for the fact that some of the kidnappers belonged to his 'village' where everybody is treated equally. And from that poorest end, he was transferred (not before erecting a church in the village and dug a borehole which somehow improved the quality of life in the village) to the creamiest village - in Ayala-Alabang Parish.
And so, he has become a 'Pinoy' - shown in the picture with Fely, Amba, Clifford, Jun Robles, John, Maris, angie, Sheen and Lito:

Orishi, the tree of life

...the 'indoor games' continued - Scrabble between Weng of the Yellow and Lito of the Blue; nagkaroon ng nose bleed si JT (kahit sinasabihan pa ni Mare Maris ng 'kaya 'yan') sa pag-iisip kalaban si Lolit of the Red Team; Red vs Green (Andrea) habang 'feeding' the brain with bar-b-que...

...CHESS aficionados - Shiela, James, Sean, Jess, Edna, Clifford, Angie, Marlyn, Rami, Jesslyn and Jabar : Yellow vs Blue Ofili Akponor (Nigerian Father and Pinay mother from Leyte - Nelinda Itig). And this is Chess with Halo-halo to cool the minds...

Indeed, this tree really 'housed' the Pinoys - happily discussing the previous matches, re-acquainting with friends, or just plain enjoying the cool shades...

...there's Fely, Edna, Marlyn and James...and peeping through at the back - Sheen, in-between space is Lolit and Andrea; and who would beat that?...Densyu - in the most comfortable way of eating...

Dennis Banasihan of Regent School has always made Pinoy events lively with his role as Emcee and coordinator. He also plays volleyball...

...iyan ang Pinoy abilidad: DART board nailed at the trunk of the tree: Yellow Mike vs Melanie Blue trying her luck in darts...

Jabar fans' club: this time basketball naman ang hawak na pang porma....

Pinoy idling...

PHOTOS OF THE DAY:

Clifford of the Blue and Gel of the Red

Yellow girls of the Volleyball Team

...a Lady from the village selling newly harvested sweet potatoes and her interpreter ...along the way to the National Stadium

Saturday 13 October 2012

OFWS in Abuja: Sportsfest

...the symbol of a unified Pusong Pinoy Association

Last year, the Filipino Community in Abuja hosted a highly successful first Ambassador Basketball League. The PPA new sets of officers galvanized by the enthusiasm of the Pinoys regarding sports made a historic sports fest – Ball Games – basketball, volleyball, tennis and indoor games: scrabble, darts

The event was held last Sunday October 7, 2012 at the well-equipped Abuja National Stadium Annex B.

The community assembled at 7:00 am. It commenced with the singing of the Nigerian and the Philippine National Anthem followed by the Muslim prayer led by Javar Guro and the Christian prayer led by Lito Nucum. The Philippine Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid who cancelled his trip to Port Harcourt just to be with this momentous occasion addressed the community.

The rich, vibrant colors made the parade very lively coupled with the enthusiasm of the participants.

The parade consisted of four teams representing RED, BLUE, YELLOW and GREEN – so arranged and evenly distributed to accommodate everyone.

Team Leaders :

Red Team - Lolita Victorio and Marlene Cabrera

Blue Team – Clifford Legal and Rex Lautrizo, Tickboy Mercado – Team Manager

Yellow Team – Marissa Trono and Doods Mercado

Green Team – Sheryl and Sheila Reyes

The Opening Day result:

The dynamism of the officers was so contagious … that participants and spectators exhibited the same exuberance during the ceremony, parade and games.

To these officers who toiled hard - planning, executing the plans, looked for sponsors, unselfishly spending and sharing time and effort –– John, Sheen, Andrea, Sherwin, James, Mercy and Gel - you are all marvelous! And to all your friends who lobbied and gave unconditional support – that’s what friends are for….and you all made the difference...

...and to the numerous supporters....

MABUHAY!

...banners displayed for the PPA Sportsfest

...anticipation for the commencement...and such excitement: Sheryl, Fely and Sheila; Rex, Mercy, Amba, John and Renz, Michelle, twins Sheila and Sheryl

...waiting for the fun to begin...Lito, Doods, Ampy and Amb. Lamadrid, Janette, Lolit...

...and just posing ...Doods busy capturing 'people,' Maris, Ramon, Alfredo and Tickboy; Celine and Sheda (at ginawa pang background ang BLUE team), and there's Angie, Vangie, Maris, Ampy, Mich, Katz and Jamie and Alessa, Mabelle and Melanie...

Ambassador Alex V. Lamadrid addressing the community

Oath of Sportsmanship officiated by the Chairman of Sports Committee - Sherwin Cayabyab of Dantata and Sawoe

Yellow, Green, Red and Blue Teams - reciting the Oath of Sportsmanship

...preparing the Blue Team Muses...(walang kawala sa paghila ni Clifford)...

...what will be a game without the muse? here they are...Rose for Yellow, Janice for Red, Jamie and Alessa for Blue...and the handsome young guys - Boy Gumawid for the Red and Boy Andrade for the Blue

...aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnndddddd...the spirited G RRRR E E N Team....C E L I N E...

...and as the story of the E S C O R T unfolds....with a very vocal clamor from the team mates and the other neighboring teams, TJ Barilla braved the threatening fist of Celine and proudly climbed the stairs to be with his muse ...and there they are: the Muse and Escort of the PPA Sportsfest....