From CFC Migrants Program to Missio Amare Miigranti
Launched in 2009, the CFC Migrants Program answers the call of the GOSPEL in giving courage and support to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to meet the challenges of being away from home, country, and families.
The immensity of the work gave us the mission and vision a sacred gift of empowering Filipino Migrants to cope with changes – social, cultural, spiritual, environment and physical – that comes with migration.
Our work gave us memories, stories, and personal encounters with our migrants and their families offering ourselves in joyful service for their growth, change and conversion through Moral Values Reorientation Program (MVRP). This results in active evangelization to maintain unity “marked by great diversity of those who receive them. Within the unity of the people of God, thus a multiplicity of peoples and culture gathered together.”
Then came the challenges of the Covid 19 Pandemic. As the world suffers from the Covid 19 Pandemic from early 2020 and lasting until late 2023, our OFWs likewise experienced challenges in their work. Unexpected termination of contract and immediate repatriation, salary delays, cuts in work hours, lockdowns and even factory or business closures. These changes brought distress, displacement, and anxiety to our OFWs. The steady flow of remittances stopped, displaced and repatriated OFWs found it very difficult to reintegrate into their families and society, and their families also have to adjust to the new realities.
Under these scenarios, CFC Migrants Program through the leadership of our Mission Herad Bro. Jess Ferrer launched the TAWID OFW PROGRAM (TOP). The program includes Household Tawid Tulong Program (HTTP), Values formation and Learning program (VFLP), Entrepreneurial Career Program (ECP), and Borderless Christian Life program (CLP).
Couples for Christ (CFC) provided the seed money of Php1,000,000.00 under the HTTP, while CFC members funded from their own funds and through solicitation an equivalent amount for non-CFC members. HTTP aimed to provide financial help amounting to Php6,000.00 per OFW family (CFC and Non-CFC members). The VFLP introduces values needed for the OFW and their families to cope up with the new realities. The ECP provides sessions for entrepreneurial know how to be an entrepreneur through its BizneSerye, a nine-module learning sessions on business strategies, operations, finance, and marketing. Lastly, participants are encouraged to join the Cristian Life Program (CLP) of the Couples for Christ (CFC).
When the CFC leadership decided to be spun off its Social Development Ministry as a SEC registered Non-government Organization (NGO) named as Tekton Services Development Association Inc. (TSDAI), CFC Migrants program became part of TSDAI and re-branded as Missio Amare Migranti.
The rebranded MA-Migranti will continue its programs and activities with larger scope and coverage, wider stakeholders, and more partners.