Pinoy Accountants in Jeddah celebrate by donating to distressed OFWs

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Filipino accountants here celebrated Accountancy Week by donating goodies to compatriots currently housed at the shelter for distressed OFWs at the Philippine Consulate General. At least 40 workers received food, groceries and other gift items from the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountant (PICPA) Western Region chapter and their friends in simple ceremonies Sunday night. Joey Villanueva, the newly elected president of PICPA chapter, said they opted to celebrate Accountancy Week by sharing their blessings with the unfortunate workers, mostly abused or exploited domestic helpers who sought shelter at the consulate. “We marked the opening of the celebration by visiting the distressed workers. Our program known as 'Hatid Saya Sa Bahay Kalinga,' intends to bring joy to our kababayan," said Villanueva, a financial manager at a company in Jeddah. Chapter officers and members took the occasion to mingle and talk with the distressed workers, giving them inspirational messages. They also had a simple dinner with the distressed workers along with welfare officers, and organized parlor games in which winners won cash prizes. Past chapter president Danny Abenes, a financial manager of the leading Filipino-owned cargo firm Sky Freight Forwarders, donated a one-way ticket and coupons equivalent to 500 kilograms of sea freight cargo. Another past president, Raffy Abesamis of the Archway International, donated two-way tickets. Dan Factoran, a graphics artist and friend of PICPA leaders, donated a wheelchair for the shelter. Labor Attaché Wesley Gacutan thanked the officers and members for their unselfish effort in helping the distressed. The PICPA chapters in western Saudi Arabia, as well as in Riyadh and Eastern Province, are among the most active Filipino organizations in the kingdom. Apart from periodically providing basic accounting lessons for Filipinos who are non-accountancy graduates, they also provide scholarships for deserving students from low-income families in the Philippines. One of their upcoming activities is a seminar on July 30 at the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) with 4th year high school students participating, and another on August 6 at the Pearl of the Orient International School (POIS) for 4th and 3rd year students. It is also holding an Accounting for Non-Accountant (AFNA) seminar for Filipinos and other nationalities from July 31, 2009 to August 28, 2009. Accountancy Week, celebrated by Filipino accountants every 3rd week of July, was set forth under Presidential Decree No. 607 signed by then President Corazon Aquino in 1990. Villanueva took the occasion to call on other members of the Filipino community to continue helping other OFWs who are not as fortunate as they are. “We are very happy that the Filipino community is always looking after the welfare of our less fortunate kababayan, but we must continue doing this to alleviate their burden as they await repatriation," he said. - GMANews.TV