DUBAI: Noodles, because they come in long strands, help prolong life, (“Ang pansit ay pampahaba ng buhay”).
Apparently, taking their cue from this popular Pinoy adage, two Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) decided to celebrate their June birthdays handing out free pancit noodles and chicken food packs to the jobless instead of partying.
In their early 30s, Rosaline Baylosis and her close friend, Angelo Catolico, said they’d like to give more meaning and relevance to the special occasion in these days of the pandemic by helping out those in need.
“For the past two years, we’ve been celebrating our birthdays together since it falls in the last week of June. Usually, we would hold parties with friends and acquaintances. But due to pandemic, we have decided to give away food packages to other people, especially those in need,” said Baylosis, administrative officer at a construction company whose birthday was on June 28.
Dubbed, “Pancit for Long Life” from that popular Filipino saying, the package consists of basic ingredients for pancit bihon matched with chicken, “which is a star in every Filipino’s birthday,” said Baylosis, who also is an award-winning photographer.
The two’s efforts were complimented by management of a grocery store in Rigga, which sold the food packages to Baylosis and her friends on discounted price.
“They helped us arrange the food packages and the manager, Mr. Mahesh, was generous enough to give us discount for our purchases,” said Baylosis.
She said she and her friends were planning to do the relief drive again but with coordination with Dubai government agencies which regulate events like this to ensure safety and order.
“I was planning to do it again maybe after the next salary comes or if there would be an additional fund source, of course. All of the expenses in the birthday food drive were paid for through our own pocket. If we could have other sources for provisions to be distributed then that would be great,” said Baylosis.
“Also, I felt that it’s a must nowadays to extend help to others even if you don’t have that much. Until now, I am receiving a lot of messages from fellow kababayans asking for help and it breaks my heart to learn about their dire situation. I will try to have other means to help them as well as soon as possible,” she added.
Catolico, who turned 33 on June 26, is a customer care specialist by day and a musician during his free time.
There approximately are over 53,100 OFWs who are on a no-work-no-pay arrangement with their employers while another 26,500 have been terminated, according to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Dubai.
There are 400,000 documented OFWs in Dubai, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
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