BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – The provincial government of Dinagat Islands sent off 42 seasonal workers to Yeongwol-gun, South Korea.
This group served as the first batch of seasonal workers this year to work as farmers in South Korea.
Under the program “Remedy sa Panarbaho,” Gov. Nilo P. Demerey Jr. has high hopes that this program will address poverty and provide an opportunity to improve the local economy.
“Ang malampuson nga larga sa seasonal workers sa South Korea, makapakunhod og 20 percent nga poverty rate sa probinsya,” the governor said.
[The successful deployment of seasonal workers to South Korea will lessen the poverty rate of the province by 20 percent.]
“Sa mga bag-ong bayani sa modernong panahon, saludo ang mga Dinagatnon sa pagpaningkamot nga muadto sa laing nasud para sa kaugmaon sa ilang matag pamilya. Dugang pa, ang ilang pagsakripisyo usa na ka pasidungog isip pagdala sa maayong kalidad og kapasidad sa Pilipino nga manarbaho sa laing nasud,” Gov. Demerey added.
[To the new and modern heroes, the Dinagatnons commended you for your efforts and hard work to go out of the country so your families will have a better future. Your sacrifice is a source of pride for the country, as we are sending quality Filipinos to work in foreign countries.]
Prior to their departure to South Korea, the first batch of seasonal workers paid a courtesy visit to Provincial Governor Nilo P. Demerey Jr. of the Province of Dinagat Islands. (Photo courtesy of Gov. Nilo P. Demerey Jr. )
Jestoni Guevarra, in his interview with the Provincial Information Office (PIO), expressed his gratitude to all who helped them complete the requirements and trainings needed for the seasonal workers program, stating, “We promised to the provincial government of Dinagat Islands that we will do our best at work from day 1 up to the last day of our contract so our employers will be happy and we also want other Dinagatnons to experience the program.”
Migrant Office administrator, Ivy Vergara-Ecleo, who accompanied the seasonal workers in their send-off at Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu City, reminded them to be good and disciplined workers and farmers in South Korea and to finish their contracts and go home to the country so their employers will consider rehiring them.
Prior to their departure, the seasonal workers underwent significant lessons on Korean language, basic agriculture training such as land preparation, proper application of fertilizer, operation, and safety precautions on the use of farm machinery, and reservist physical fitness training, among others.
They were also approved as overseas Filipino workers (OFW), as facilitated by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Caraga.
It can be recalled that in 2023, the provincial government of Dinagat Islands, together with the Department of Migrant Workers through the Migrant Office in Dinagat Islands and the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines (PBMLP) National Executive Vice President Dick Victor Carmona, was able to send 474 seasonal workers to South Korea.
This year, the province has targeted sending an additional 3,000 seasonal workers to South Korea. (RLE/PIA-Dinagat Islands)
