PRESS RELEASE

First Reunion of Pioneer Filipino Workers in Iran

Filipino-Iranians at the first reunion of OFWs in Iran hosted by Philippine Embassy officials led by CDA Dumia and wife Gloria V. Dumia (5^th and 4^rd from right, front row), Minister and Consul General Rosario P. Lemque (6^th from right), and Attache Mapintao A. Sarip and wife Angelina G. Sarip (3^rd and 2^nd from right)

For the first time in more than four decades, the earliest Filipino workers in Iran who arrived during the early 70s were reunited with one another at the Philippine Embassy yesterday (April 15, 2011). On this special occasion, the Philippine government  honored the “pioneer Filipinos” in Iran and recognized their significant role and contributions in the economic development of the Philippines and the enhancement of Philippines-Iran relations.

Coming to Tehran from various parts of the country as far as Tabriz, Orumiyeh, Shiraz, Esfahan, Ilam, Shahrud, Semnan, and Karaj, the forty-four trail-blazing Filipino expatriates together with their Iranian spouses were warmly welcomed by embassy officials led by Charge d’ Affaires Mariano A. Dumia and his wife, Mrs. Gloria V. Dumia. 

In his welcome remarks, CDA Dumia extolled the early Filipino expatriates for their demonstrated “loyalty, dedication and exemplary performance” in their respective professions which sowed the seeds of Filipino-Iranian friendship and the good image of Filipinos and the Philippines. He emphasized that “through your good works, you have not only gained for yourself and our beloved country the trust and respect of the Iranian people and government but also through the years, you have helped our government in its tasks of national economic development.” He added that the favorable pioneering entry of Filipino workers into the Iranian workforce in the 60s and early 70s has spawned the arrival of more Filipinos into the country in the mid and late 70s.

The forty-five Filipino honorees who were bestowed certificates of recognition by the embassy are now senior citizens and retired from their long and fruitful employments. They are composed of doctors, nurses, midwives, engineers, mechanics, technicians and household workers who arrived in Iran in the early 70s and decided to remain in the country after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. They had worked in government hospitals and various offices, airline companies, airports, telecommunications, UN agencies, private construction companies and private homes. There are currently 1,006 registered Filipinos in Iran who are mostly permanent residents with their family members as well as fifty documented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Embassy records show that there were 15,000 Filipinos in Iran in the mid-70s. Eventually, many Filipinos found life-time partners and raised good families in Iran. CDA Dumia also stressed that continuous Filipino-Iranian marriages and the influx of Iranian students to the Philippines have molded a solid cornerstone of Philippines-Iran relations. In fact, one of the earliest recorded Filipino-Iranian marriages is that of a Labor Attache with an Iranian lass in the mid 70s. Now, there are more than 800 recorded Filipino-Iranian families, undoubtedly the largest number in the Middle East region.

Responding to the welcome remarks of CDA Dumia on behalf of the honorees, Mr. Delfin Gabucan, an aircraft engineer who arrived in Iran in September 1973 and later married to an Iranian, said they (honorees) are very happy and deeply overwhelmed for being recognized and honored by the Philippine government as long-time Filipino workers in Iran. He added that this is the first time that OFWs in this country are given such recognition. He related that the early Filipinos in Iran dominated the important departments in the aircraft and airline industries. Another “old-timer” in Iran is Mr. Pablo Benedictos, Jr. who came to this country as a UN volunteer agriculturist in January 1972. He said he travelled to all parts of the country and taught scientific farming to villagers. He also got married to an Iranian and raised their children in the country.  Benedictos added that upon his arrival in 1972, he met many Filipinos who arrived in Iran ten years earlier, meaning that Filipino workers first came to Iran in the early 60s.

Among the forty-five pioneer OFWs is Ms. Marieta Retubado who has the longest stay in Iran having arrived in Tehran as a household service worker in November 1970. She said she enjoyed her employment through the years without any serious problem. Like her colleagues, Ms. Retubado said that this reunion is “historic” and that the formal recognition of OFWs in Iran by the Philippine government is very memorable for her and her family. After receiving their certificates, the honorees enjoyed a lunch of delicious Filipino foods and delicacies.

It is recalled that in the early 70s, there was no Philippine Embassy in Iran. The Filipinos had to renew their passports or secure consular services at the Philippine Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan which had consular jurisdiction over Iran. It was on August 16, 1974 that the Philippine Embassy in Tehran was opened by CDA Juan A. Ona. The embassy reported that there were more than 15,000 Filipinos in Iran during that year. This shows that Iran was the first country destination of most OFWs in the Middle East. In 1974, the Philippine government was just starting its organized mass deployment of Filipino workers overseas.

Following were the honorees on the said event:  Marieta Retubado, Pablo Benedictos, Jr.,  Delfin Gabucan, Yolanda Arsolon, Emerita Belgica Yazdani, Imelda Palomer Shakeri, Sevilla Villanueva Haghighi, Benjamin Duka, Luzviminda Misena Bihake, Filamer Santiago, Conrado Boja, Fortunata Miranda, Isabelita Baysa, Florencio Fernandez, Ernesta Javadi, Angelina Vinegas Mokhtarnia, Carmelita Takparvar,  Zenaida Buyo , Aida Cepillo, Mauricia Cantos, Lilia Valdez Kheyrolania, Erlinda Castillo Abbasi, Ditas Surio, Fe Adornado, Linda Laguna Abbaszadeh, Teresita Bernardino,  Petra Amador,  Lucila Aguila, Nicetas Evangelista, Emilia C. Dela Cruz, Emiliana Cunanan Abdollahy, Maria Junio, Carmen Reyes, Warlita Premacio, Lina Sigamata,  Daisy Antonino, Lydia Jahandideh, Rosemarie Rugas, Elvira Dela Cruz Mohaghegh, Corazon Razon Madadi, Jean Janati, Luz Matienzo Alavi, Linda Dacanay, Marina Capuno Kozari, and Mila Piana Merpooran. END