PRESS RELEASE
WDC-25-2024
30 April 2024
Embassy Press and Information Section
info@phembassy-us.org
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. conducted a virtual Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) on 5 April 2024 for Filipino teachers who arrived in the United States on H1B visa. A total of 166 teachers deployed to public pre, elementary, middle, and high schools in various parts of the US attended the PAOS. They were oriented on Philippine and United States recruitment regulations, employee rights and obligations and financial management. They were also provided with useful tips on effective integration into the educational system of the US.
Labor Attaché Saul De Vries said that PAOS is MWO’s signature empowerment program for Filipino workers in the US. “Since teachers comprise a large segment of the population of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in the US, we thought of conducting a separate PAOS for them. We wanted to educate them on protective policies of both the Philippines and United State, particularly on recruitment fees, wages, and benefits. Our objective is for these teachers not to be taken advantage of by recruiters. We also highlighted the programs of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) that they can avail of onsite or upon their return to the Philippines,” said De Vries.
Dr. Ingrid Lorelei Jomento-Cruz, Career and Technical Education Program Coordinator at the Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, was invited to handle the integration session of the PAOS. She told the teachers to understand the culture and learning behavior of American children. “Kids, many years from now, will not remember the content of what they have been taught. What they will remember is the experience they had,” she said. Cruz also advised the attendees to join teachers’ unions as their membership in these unions will empower them to exercise their rights.
Proper management of finance was also highlighted during the PAOS. Welfare Officer Mae Codilla facilitated the session emphasizing that the temporary nature of overseas employment makes it imperative for the teachers to be mindful of the importance of savings and investments. ###