MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Union has been serving Filipinos for 25 years. From 1990, Filipino workers deployed overseas were estimated at over 400,000* to over 10 million** in 2013. Western Union's Filipino users have entrusted their hard earned money sent through our channels to reach their families and loved ones. As a company that helps many Filipinos to move money around the world, we have a special insight into this population and the unique, heroic qualities they that embody. It is for this reason that Western Union embarked on a campaign to recognize heroic efforts of Filipino migrants.
In the past, Western Union has been involved in supporting and sponsoring Filipino community activities, such as: Barrio Fiestas, Independence Day celebrations, Christmas celebrations and reaching out to the Filipino diaspora through ethnic publications and promotions. This year as it celebrates its 25th year of providing service in the Philippines, Western Union takes its commitment to Filipinos a step further through the "Heroes for Better" campaign. It is a campaign that recognizes and celebrates the efforts of Filipinos around the world who, in their own way, have given their time, resources, skill and/or expertise to make a positive change. The campaign aims to showcase them as role models to inspire others to follow their examples to help create a better world. Western Union, with the help of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, handpicked 25 Filipino migrant heroes around the world. Here are the stories of four Filipinos in New Zealand who have dedicated their lives for something other than themselves.
NANETTE CARILLO left Metro Manila, Philippines and moved to Massey, New Zealand.
Many children around the world live in poverty. Born to underprivileged families, these children are often without adequate homes, and have no access to education, health service, healthy food, and safe drinking water.
Moved by their stories, primary school teacher Nanette Carillo became involved with the NZ SCOT (New Zealand Street Children and Orphans Trust) Charitable Trust with a strong yearning to become a catalyst for change, particularly among the youth. To help alleviate poverty and transform the lives of disadvantaged children and their families, the organization holds feeding programs and other fun activities, and provides scholarship grants as well as vocational and career training for those in need.
Today, more than 700 street children have been reached and raised under the SCOT program. With its numerous Hope Training Centres in the Philippines, this self-funded charity is well on its way of countering the root issues of child poverty.
Nanette is happiest when she coaches children in understanding and making the correct life choices. The work she has done has merited several awards, among them the 2011 Local Hero Medal from the Kiwi Bank, and the prestigious New Zealander of the Year award in 2012.
MAURO ORETA left his hometown in Pampanga, Philippines and moved to Auckland, New Zealand.
Mauro Oreta and his siblings lost their parents and became orphans at a tender age. This unfortunate event not only pushed him to work harder in school, it also molded him into becoming a devoted family man and a charitable soul.
Mauro and his family moved to New Zealand in 1996. Being a long-time migrant, he understands the repercussions of leaving home and relocating to a foreign country. And as a way of giving back for his good fortune, he started a blog to share his experiences to his fellow overseas Filipinos. Along with a group of migrants, Mauro also started an online community called "AKLnzPINOYS" in 2005 to serve as an avenue of communication among Filipinos who are either planning to live in New Zealand or are already residing there.
In 2010, the group published "From Carabao to Sheep", a migrant's handbook containing valuable information and practical tips. They also regularly conduct seminars and workshops on visa processing, home buying, and starting up a business in New Zealand.
Aside from helping migrants in settling into their new homes, Mauro also hopes to further ignite the bayanihan spirit among his fellowmen abroad.
AGNES GRANADA left her home in Makati City, Philippines and moved to Auckland, New Zealand.
Agnes Granada spent most of her professional life abroad. She has succeeded in establishing a successful career as an accountant, but her philanthropic passion prompted her to become a community advocate and a community development worker.
Along with other concerned migrants, Agnes co-founded the Migrant Action Trust in 2002. The group provides services to their fellow migrants to aid them in becoming self-sustaining. Apart from initiating meaningful social and political engagement in organized discussion forums, they also helped their fellow migrants look for purposeful jobs through training.
In 2013, Agnes and her group also paved the way for the creation of the Earth Action Trust – a charitable trust organized to enlighten everyone across the globe about the importance of protecting the environment and to help improve the lives of people along the way.
"Everything on this earth is recyclable, including one's calling in life. From an accountant, I was recycled into a community development worker. And in 2014, I took on the role as "basurera" (junk/garbage collector) for Earth Action Trust. If we don't do anything today to save Mother Earth, everything we do is just going to destroy her and us," exclaims Agnes.
NILDA COCHRANE left her hometown in Sorsogon City, Philippines and moved to Auckland, New Zealand.
Many aspire to build a home and live comfortably abroad, but Nilda Cochrane sacrificed a quiet and easy life in New Zealand to fulfill her burning passion to help.
While visiting her home city of Sorsogon, Nilda saw how homeless children struggled to survive living on the streets. Moved with compassion, she and her husband John envisioned a loving and secure environment for these children. Having fate on their side, Nilda's mother offered a piece of land to the charitable couple. They eventually sold their house in Auckland to raise funds to establish Oasis Christian Children's Home Inc. and built a home for these children.
What makes the couple truly empowered is the positive change they have seen among both the orphaned children and the people who have been assigned to care for them. When visitors and distant relatives of the children visit them and express amazement at their transformation, Nilda and John believe they have done the right thing.
From its establishment in 2009, the Oasis family has grown from housing 6 children to 24 at present. But Nilda's mission doesn't stop there, as she hopes to house more than 100 children and to spur change one youthful soul at a time.
These are just four of the 25 migrants that Western Union has honored during the "Heroes for Better" campaign. The background, professions and advocacies of the 25 Heroes for Better are diverse, but their compassion and dedication to serve others are qualities that are distinct to all the heroes.
"You don't have to be economically well-off or highly educated in order to make a difference. These are really ordinary folks that have actioned towards specific causes and became heroes." shares Patricia Riingen, Senior Vice President, South East Asia & Oceania, Western Union. "It is our sincere hope that the accomplishments of these Filipinos will inspire others to follow their example of taking positive action towards a better nation and eventually, a better world."
| *POEA 2004 report, http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/philippines-culture-migration |
| **Commission on Filipinos Overseas, 2013 Compendium of Statistics on International Migration |
About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of September 30, 2015, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000 ATMs and kiosks, and included the capability to send money to millions of bank accounts. In 2014, The Western Union Company completed 255 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $85 billion of principal between consumers, and 484 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
