Philippines Ambassador Lillibeth Pono praised the event for its originality.

 For the first time in Qatar, the Filipino domestic workers and local Arab employers award event was held by the Overseas Filipino Forum, recognising the efforts of local employers in the Gulf State.

The event was hosted by the Leading Philippine migrant workers’ rights group ‘Advocates & Keepers Organisation of Overseas Filipino Workers Inc (AKO-OFW Inc), which the Philippine Ambassador to Qatar, Lillibeth Pono, and Philippine Migrant Workers Office (MWO) Qatar Head of Assistance to Nationals Cherry Rhose Currega attended.

Ambassador Lillibeth Pono praised the event for its uniqueness as she was joined by AKO-OFW national vice chairman for Overseas Affairs, Dr Joseph Timothy Rivera, a Qatar resident.

Awardees include Jovita Ariola, Condino, who aided her employer for 18 years; Norie T Ablas, who nursed her employer’s family for more than 32 years; and spouses Romeo Balgoa and Amelia Monegro, who conformed one family for 37 years.

Their respective employers, Ahmad Ismael Chiekha, Ali Saleh Khamis Alsulaiti, and Abdeslam Aboumalik, also accepted awards.

AKO-OFW, founded in 2015, is currently present in over 37 countries and has over 220,000 members.