Rosaline Baylosis and Angelo Catolico
These OFWs Baylosis mark a different kind of birthday celebration, sparked by the need to help others during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, after they gave away grocery goods and other essentials to around 40 individuals last June 26.
“Hindi kami makakapaghanda ng the usual so shinare na namin sa random na nga tao na mas nangangailanhan yung small food groceries. Katulong ng partner ko na si Roy bumili kami sa aim fresh ng mga items to distribute and nakakatuwa na binigyan naman kami ng discount ng manager,” shared Baylosis who furthered that they will continue sharing their blessings and find organizations they can collaborate with to help.
Baylosis believes that through the power of provisions and prayers, Filipinos can help one another course through the impact of the pandemic. “I feel that it is really a must nowadays to help. Hangga’t kaya tumulong in any way – like assistance, provisions and prayers nawa’y magawa natin. Basta mag ingat lang po tayong lahat palagi,” said Baylosis.
Paccial said that instead of having a celebration, he and his wife Rachel decided to buy goods out of their pockets. They drove around the city the next day to distribute the packs to people in need.
The OFW has also created Facebook Page, OFW Kabayan United on the Go, in order to reach out to more Filipinos in need. However, even expats of other nationalities also came to them for help—making their initiative inclusive for all affected residents in the emirate.
“Even before this crisis, naging practice na ng aming family na tumulong, to inspire our youngsters to help at an early age. We don’t make our special occasions like birthdays grand. Instead, we spend a portion or half of the budget for charity,” he said.
After their first aid drives, he said many of their close friends and family members got inspired to help as well, giving their own relief packs and providing more resources to help the couple sustain their charity operations. This helped them to launch aid drives almost most days of the week—including weekends. Before they knew it, they have already done more than 200 aid drives across the city.
This Emirati vlogger is making rounds online with his aid initiatives that currently help affected Filipinos both in the Philippines and in the UAE.
Prince Jack Abood, said that while he is a full-blooded UAE local, he grew up admiring the Filipinos because of their resilience and optimism – a reason he started helping them and becoming more active in their community.
He said that he began his pandemic relief aid when he spent vacation in the Philippines.
“The very next day that I arrived, the Philippine government announced the total lockdown of the country. Then, I started actively volunteering in the checkpoints installed in our village as Bantay Bayan. From there, I saw and experienced how hard the situation was. That’s when I decided to start giving relief goods,” added the influencer.
His aid has inspired even his friends in the UAE to help as well, and when he came back to the country, he continued helping the OFW community—especially those who seek assistance through his Facebook page.
