8 lucky OFWs and their families win cash prizes, staycation, after remitting money

With almost a million Filipinos here in the UAE and hundreds of thousands more across the Gulf and the rest of the world, Farouk Omar is just one of the many aforementioned OFWs based in the Gulf countries who continue to strive hard each day to be able to send money back home. In Farouk’s case, he regularly sends cash to his mom, Fely Omar who then handles the monthly budget for the family.

As Farouk sent money back home through MoneyGram, little did he know that his family will soon be enjoying great bonding moments with his attempt in joining the annual MoneyGram Idol Awards.

Fortune’s favor

Farouk and Fely’s fates turned to a more positive note recently as they were hailed among the eight winners of the recently concluded MoneyGram Idol Awards held last June 28, 2019 in the Philippines.

Each winner of the MoneyGram Idol Awards won a cash prize of Php 30,000, a return air ticket, as well as a 3 days/2 nights’ stay at a hotel in Metro Manila.

The cash prize is a great boost for the Omar family who, apart from Farouk’s monthly remittance, makes a living selling different kinds of dried goods in Rizal, Palawan including RTWs, canned goods, school uniforms and more.

Farouk, similar to many OFWs, is always concerned with the well-being of his family especially when he learns that the family business isn’t doing so well.  His mom, Fely, shares with The Filipino Times of Farouk’s sincere, straightforward questions that reminds her of how her son really cares for his family back home: “’Pag wala kaming benta, sabi niya (Farouk), ‘O pano yan, paano kayo makakain?’ Sabi ko ‘Hmmm, bahala na, mangutang na [lang].’ Tapos sabi niya, ‘Sige, hintayin niyo lang, nandiyan na yan.’ Maya-maya, nandiyan na nga (ang perang padala)!”

Giving back to modern day heroes

Action Star and MoneyGram Brand Ambassador Robin Padilla lauds the efforts of the remittance and exchange company as a salute to the unyielding efforts of OFWs not just because of the awards itself, but moreso for the financial advocacy that MoneyGram promotes for OFWs and their families.

“Naawa kami sa mga OFW natin na pagkatapos magtrabaho sa ibang bansa, pinadala ang pera nila dito, pero pag-uwi nila, matanda na sila, wala namang naipundar. Meron ngang bahay, meron ngang napa-aral, pero siya mismo, wala siyang naipon para sa sarili niya,” Padilla said.

MoneyGram’s Asia Pacific Marketing Lead Sabrina Chan shared that as a remittance and exchange company, MoneyGram thought of the Idol Awards as an opportunity to pay it forward for the Philippines’ unsung heroes – the OFWs.

“We wanted to find ways to give back. The idea of the MoneyGram Idol Awards came about as an opportunity for us to value [the OFWs and their families] because they are truly the winners, being idols both as senders and receivers,” said Chan.

With their ongoing advocacies and programs for Filipinos both home and abroad, MoneyGram continues to position itself as a fast and dependable remittance and exchange center Filipinos, especially for OFWs, as it ensures that the money sent from wherever the OFW is in the world will surely be received in time by their loved ones back home.