Ronaldo Z. Concha Saudi GazetteJEDDAH — All welfare officers and staff of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) who will be assigned abroad will serve Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for three years starting this year, the OWWA's new welfare officer in Jeddah announced recently. “We are one of the first batches of OWWA officials and staff that will serve our kababayan for three years," said welfare officer Maria Victoria Demenggoy. Demenggoy arrived in Jeddah on Jan. 26 and replaced welfare officer Benny Reyes whose two-year appointment ended in December. Demenggoy said OWWA decided to prolong appointments of all OWWA officials and staff that are sent abroad so that they can provide the maximum service to OFWs. “Two years of service to our compatriots is not enough. We spend the first year familiarizing ourselves with our assigned areas and when we are finally settled in, it is time to pack up and leave. It is for this reason that our tenure of service was extended for at least another year. This way, the OWWA will be more effective in serving our fellow compatriots," explained Demenggoy who has worked for the OWWA for nearly 27 years. She promised to do her best to serve OFWs and said Jeddah is her second foreign assignment. Her first assignment as welfare officer was in Brunei during 2005-2007. Aside from Demenggoy, OWWA's auxiliary staff arrived early this year. Ronald Reyes and Dennis Leprozo will also serve OFWs for three years. Other welfare officers currently working in Jeddah are Segundino Coretico and Abdulwahab M. Jaafar.
