Author Archives: Jojo Dass

DUBAI – Health workers across the United Kingdom, among them over 18,500 Filipinos, are bracing for yet again another strain of the coronavirus threatening the country with a faster reproduction rate as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, early this week, announced a nationwide lockdown which took effect today, Wednesday, Jan. 6. This, as mass inoculationContinue reading “Filipino nurses in UK brace for new coronavirus strain as country goes on third lockdown”

DUBAI: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has announced a New Year’s Eve repatriation in the Gulf but only a few overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Dubai are availing of the flight apparently due to stringent procedures in leaving the Philippines again as well as the Covid vaccine roll out that the UAE has startedContinue reading “Few Dubai OFWs avail of New Year’s Eve repatriation”

DUBAI: A group of four Filipino academicians have officially launched an institution for higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a move addressing issues about children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the country, who had to part ways with their parents and be in the Philippines when it was finally time for college.Continue reading “OFW educators open Southville college campus in UAE”

As Metro Manila was battling Covid in March, medical front liners in South Cotabato, a province some 1,000 kilometers away, were already having all hands on deck to tackle the pandemic head on. With help from the provincial government, they converted an infirmary into a Covid hospital and pushed hard to have their own swabContinue reading “South Cotabato: How front liners repulsed a Covid onslaught in time for Christmas”

DUBAI: Santa Claus came to town in San Pedro, Laguna for Christmas. But not on his reindeers, rather on a mountain bike with friends, handing out food packs of lechon manok, pancit canton and lumpiang shanghai to the homeless for Noche Buena on Christmas Eve. Fifty-one-year-old Mike Zuniga, an accountant-turned-fulltime-professional-photographer in Dubai, who launched theContinue reading “Former Dubai OFW launches Christmas food drive for the homeless”

DUBAI: Here’s a Christmas lesson about not being complacent with the coronavirus these holidays. An overseas Filipino worker (OFW), tasked to inspect Abu Dhabi’s government-run Covid screening and vaccination facilities, himself ended up infected with the virus that he contracted not at work, but of all places, in his home. “Akala namin normal sakit langContinue reading “Covid risk assessment officer catches the virus – at home”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates –  As the UAE’s economy springs back to life following months of coronavirus quarantine measures months ago, Filipinos have risen up to the occasion, sending balikbayan box-full of goodies and wish-list gifts for their loved ones’ Noche Buena back home. Indeed! Come hell or high water, Filipinos in the UAE areContinue reading “MERRY CHRISTMAS! Dubai Pinoys send home balikbayan boxes full of gifts”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (UAE) – Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) around the world are skipping plans to be home in the Philippines mainly because of Covid-19. From the United Kingdom and Italy to Canada, Tunisia, UAE and even the tiny Pacific island of Saipan, which is just two hours away from Manila by plane, overseasContinue reading “PANDEMIC CHRISTMAS. Pinoys skip holiday homecoming”

Part of the sold-out show’s proceeds to help distressed OFWs DUBAI: Hilarious Imah Dumagay, the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from Mindanao who found love in stand-up comedy, recently brought the house down in an hour-long, major solo gig for a cause at the Mall of the Emirates’ The Theatre. The crowd could not get enoughContinue reading “Dubai OFW comedienne brings house down in solo gig”

DUBAI: A Filipino swimming instructor here has caught the city in awe, taking to the open sea on a daily 2.5-hour, non-stop, 10-kilometer swim during Dubai’s just-concluded, annual 30-day Dubai Fitness Challenge. This feat has earned him commendations from His Highness, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and ChairmanContinue reading “Meet Dubai’s ‘Pinoy Aquaman’ – 2.5 hour non-stop, 10-km daily swim in 30 days”