The finalists of Dakilang Manggagawang Pilipino sa UAE 2021. EXPAT MEDIA

Ten Filipino expatriates in the UAE have made it to the finals of the Dakilang Manggagawang Pilipino sa UAE (Greatest Filipino Workers in UAE) award. The award aims to reward and recognize Filipinos in the UAE who have “sacrificed a lot to support their family and have contributed greatly to society”, cargo and freight forwarder Pinas Cargo, the event organizer, told Expatmedia.net. A total of 259 nominations flooded in, which judges narrowed down to 20, and finally the top 10. The panel of judges are Charmaine Yalong, Commercial Attache of Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Dubai; Yasmin Balajadia Cortes; Joseph Arnie Garcia, ABS-CBN Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Kabayan Bluebird, radio jockey of Tag 91.1. Here are the finalists:

Andrian Sosa

Abu Dhabi-based Sosa is a safety engineer who has worked abroad in the last 15 years to support his family. He has also funded the education of his three siblings. His employers at Parsons International Limited - Abu Dhabi has rated his work a perfect ten and considers him an asset of the company. Sosa spends his free time helping people in any way he can. He believes that "anything you give will come back to you".

Avestine Dela Cruz

When it comes to sacrifice, no one knows it better than Avestine Dela Cruz. The 30-year-old Filipino breadwinner of her family said she started working since she was 18 to support her six siblings and their parents. Although the Covid-19 pandemic put a damper on her career, she didn’t let it stop her. She even offered to drive her friends to work as a side job. Her perseverance paid off and she is now an administrative staff for the Covid Department of her new company. “Know your purpose and do your best to learn and win in life,” she said.

Chinie Jane Ching Tagala

Dubai-based flight attendant Chinie Jane Ching Tagala, known as Cow Mama UAE, has been selflessly sharing her breastmilk to support mothers and babies in difficult situations. The Filipina is a hero to 43 babies, and counting. Her unique community service has earned her the Global Humanitarian Award by Sheikha Jawaher Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairperson of Sheikha Jawaher Al Khalifa Foundation for Youth Empowerment.

Denise Jude Roa

Denise Jude Roa is proud to be the trusted “house manager” for a British couple in the UAE, helping run the household as nanny, driver, cook and all-around house help. She has been working in the last 18 years to support her siblings and relatives in the Philippines, and has invested her money into building a house and other properties. She also supports charitable works initiated by private citizens and her church back home.

Maria Lourdes De Vera

A mother’s love knows no bounds. This is why Maria Lourdes De Vera worked for eight years without a day off to send her children to school. Despite her meager monthly salary of Dh750 working as a domestic helper for a family in the UAE since 2009, De Vera was able to support her children’s tuition. Her hard work has paid off and all her children have now graduated and are working in Dubai.

Maryann Paglinawan

When she’s not designing marketing ads, she’s helping local church choirs get organised. Maryann Paglinawan is a member of the CFC-Handmaid of the Lord and is a choir coordinator in St. Mary's Church. This single mother hopes to inspire her two children with her selfless work. Her volunteer work has spanned 12 years. She is also active in helping distressed people hit by the pandemic.

Norma Moralde

Norma Moralde has been described as the hardest working household worker in the UAE. She doesn’t shirk away from challenges, even if it involves painting and carpentry. She also spares time for community service during her day off.

Onille Mercado

Onille Mercado has worked in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia before moving to the UAE. She has worked for a total of 25 years abroad to help support her family in the Philippines. As a household worker, she treats her employers like family, and this is why they love her.

Regina Ramos

Regina Ramos is a teacher at The Philippine Global School Abu Dhabi. She is fondly called Mam Regie by her students. Her work has helped hundreds of students cope with distance learning during the pandemic. She has also helped countless others through her personal, out-of-school outreach. She is highly recommended by colleagues as an “excellent leader”.

Shirley Diaz

Shirley Diaz has been an Overseas Filipino Worker in the last 25 years. Her employer at Jamal Travel Agency highly commends her for her quality work as senior travel consultant. Diaz is an officer of Filipino Club RAK and welfare chairwoman helping distressed Filipinos reach out to the Philippine missions in the UAE. Her group also helped distribute relief goods at the height of the pandemic.
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