IN 1995, when the Philippine national government launched its economic reintegration program for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) under the stewardship of former President Fidel V. Ramos, whose primary aim is to prepare returning overseas workers by equipping them with enterpreneural, and business skills, the Computer Society of Filipinos International, Inc. in Riyadh had formed a selfless group of individuals, composed of teachers, technical people, IT experts and specialists, who eventually committed themselves as a professional volunteer group with a mission-vision popularly known to Filipino expatriates and overseas workers in Saudi Arabia as COMSOFIL.

The Society’s unstinting and unparallelled community service to the Filipino communities particularly the Filipino expatriates in the Kingdom in the field of Information and Communication Technology, is an epitome of Filipino volunteerism and bayanihan spirit at work right at the very heart of the Capital City of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Riyadh. Founded in November 10, 1995, COMSOFIL is a non-profit and non-stock Filipino community volunteer organization composed of 14 volunteer technical staff, 5 Assistant Instructors and 46 experts and professional Instructors of various Cluster Courses in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The Society is currently administered by 5 Board of Trustees and 16 committed professional volunteer Executive Officers and Board of Directors, who manages voluntarily in the implementation and delivering free education to the Filipino overseas workers and expatriates in the Kingdom - whose dreams and aspiration is to enhance and improve their technical skills and its professional career. To date, the Society has now a total of more than 9,500 active members and were able to help educate more than 10,000 OFWs from all walks of life in the Kingdom - some of which are now successful professionals, business career entrepreneurs and business executives in the Philippines and other parts of the world like United States, Canada, Australia, Germany and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.





Through the pioneering effort and dedication of these selfless individuals and distinguished men who set the trail and shed light and guided the Society in the path of success, it is with highest esteem and humble salutations that all Comsofilians join ranks and gave a special ovation to the 6
living testimony that are still voluntarily working with us within our reach. I say KUDOS to Honorable Board of Trustees Edwin A. Fontiveros, Juanichi P. Ulanday, Edwin M. Lavin, Alex del Pilar, Nomer C. Cenil, Adolfo Muga, Jr. and Romwald P. Miranda; and to the other BOTs that are now in the Philippines namely BOTs Manolo C. Benavent, Rolando P. Salcedo, Henry V. McCaan, Fermin M. Guevarra and Archie N. Trigo and more specially to current 16 Board of Directors for 2010 whose unwavering dedications and loyalty remains untarnished by the challenges of time.

At the turn of the decade, as COMSOFIL jubilantly celebrates its 15th Anniversary Foundation had marked another milestone in the Society’s history by unprecedently winning this year’s highest and most prestigious Presidential awards conferred to an organization who had significantly contributed to the Filipino communities by advancing the cause of OFWs - the “2010 Presidential Banaag Award”.





It is but right and proper to recognize the men and women behind the success of COMSOFIL who had voluntarily contributed their intellectual and technical resources spearheaded by 2010 President Salvador “Buddy”S. Villalino, VP for Education Celso “Dodoy”Ditalo, VP for Membership Marvin Domalaon, VP for Finance Danie Cortez, VP for Engineering Andre Ferrer, Director and Public Relations Officer Domingo “Doms” P. Herras, BOD Secretary Norma Noble, Auditor Benjie Cabaya, Jr. and Board of Directors Antonio “Ekart”Gayeta, Victor “Vincent”Jarabejo, Vic Beredo, Noel Garcia, Erlinda Ulita, Nemen Cabatuando, Mary Grace Mendoza and Noraisah Lao. Likewise to the entire COMSOFIL Instructors, Assit. Instructors and Technical Support Staff - These are the people instrumental in winning this year’s Presidential award.

Those 15 years of selfless commitment in the community service is the inner driving force why the Society’s founding pillars and organizers is strongly committed and resolute in implementing its lofty vision – to promote and professionalised the Filipino workforce in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and to fulfill its lone mission - to harness the Filipino professionals in the Kingdom and other countries who are employed in the field of ICT, and to share their technical know-how and expertise for the benefit of the OFWs, and in particular the COMSOFIL members.





Cognizant of the Society’s unstinting effort and commitment in helping uplift the lives, skills and professions of the of the Overseas Filipino Workers residing and working and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Philippine national government, with the recommendation and endorsement of the Philippine Diplomatic Mission in Riyadh, the Society was recognized and had been unanimously chosen by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), Office of the President as this year’s one of the recipient of the “2010 Presidential Banaag Award” - the highest award bestowed by the His Excellency, Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Republic of the Philippines on Filipino individuals or community associations for their outstanding contributions which had significantly benefitted or advanced the cause of the Filipino communities and the overseas workers in particular in a foreign country.

President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III, during the awarding ceremonies for the 2010 Presidential Awards for Outstanding Individuals and Organizations Overseas held at the Rizal Ceremonial, Malacanan Palace in his message: “As president, I have many duties and responsibilities. One of those that I enjoy most is speaking before gatherings like this. This is a chance to pay tribute to twenty-four recipients of the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO). Composed of seven Filipino organizations, thirteen kababayans, three foreigners, and one foreign group, our recipients today are testaments to the enduring spirit of Bayanihan. To all our awardees: thank you for your compassion, diligence and hard work for Filipinos both here and abroad, President Aquino said.
The President also praised the unstinting achievements and contributions of all the Presidential awardees: “I know that I can count on you who are constantly ready to provide a helping hand to those in need. You stand out as a testament that we will never run out of men and women who will dedicate their lives toward the welfare of our countrymen. To tonight’s awardees: I congratulate you, not just for your awards, but also for your spirit of bayanihan. May you continue to wield the flaming torches of excellence, dedication, and nationalism. Together, let us keep the light of our country’s resurgence burning brightly, enough for the entire world to witness, the President in his inspirational message.






The list of the 24 recipients of 2010 Presidential awards in the various categories:

LINGKOD SA KAPWA AWARDS (LINKAPIL)

1. Teresita R. Alarcon – United States of America
2. Ruth C. Martinez – Australia
3. North Central Virginia Association of Philippine Physicians (NCVAPP)-United States of America
4. Philippine American Association of Connecticut (PACC) – United States of America
5. Philippine German Community Oberberg e.V. – Germany

KAANIB NG BAYAN AWARD

1. Caritas Lebanon Migrants Center (CLMC) – Lebanon
2. Phoebe Lam Bik Che – Hongkong
3. Sunny Lam Kai Khor – Hongkong
4. Simha Salpeter – Israel

BANAAG AWARD

1. Dr. Emely D. Abagat – South Korea
2. Computer Society of Filipinos International (COMSOFIL) – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
3. Congress of Visayan Organizations (COVO) – United States of America
4. Federation of Filipino Communities in Israel (FFCI) – Israel
5. George C. Gange – United States of America
6. Marilyn R. Kasimieh – United Arab Emirates
7. Kindaw Sinding – United States of America
8. Sister Lucia C. Olalia – South Korea
9. Evangiline V. Ybo – Jordan

PAMANA NG PILIPINO AWARD

1. Lilac L. Cana – Canada
2. Angelito D. David – United States of America
3. Fred S. De Asis – United States of America
4. Bernard Randy G. Gener – United States of America
5. Lilibeth E. Navarro – United States of America
6.Rafe Totengco – United States of America
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Sources: List of Awardees – Comission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO)
President’s photos – from President Aquino’s Facebook Wall Photos
COMSOFIL featured photos – All photos taken by Writer/Photojournalist based in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Domingo “Doms” P. Herras
Featured Article written by Domingo “Doms”P. Herras
Author’s E-mail address: dpherras@gmail.com or dph2ksucd@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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