BAGUIO CITY, Oct. 10 (PIA) - - The families of Overseas Filipino Workers Conrado Sevilleja of Danglas , Abra and Fernando Salib - o of Sta. Marcela, Apayao are the Cordillera regional winners of the 2018 search for Model OFW Family of the Year Awards (MOFYA).

The winners were feted in the MOFYA awarding ceremony held on October 5 at the Fortune Restaurant here.

Land -Based category winner Sevilleja is an OFW returnee who first worked as an electrician in Saudi Arabia in 1980. He returned home to try his luck in the country and then went back abroad to work in Australia and New Zealand until 2015.

With his wife, Anita, they presently tend their own farm planted with fruits trees, herbs and spices. It is the first government- accredited farm in their locality for Good Agricultural Practices.

Conrado and Anita, a public school elementary teacher, are blessed with three daughters namely Botany KC Anne, Katrina Mae Ann and Frances Kristel Ani who are all professionals and now living their own successful careers.

For the Sea-based Category winner, Salib - o, a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering graduate, he started his career as a waiter at the Baguio Country Club before becoming a steward at WGA Superferry Marine Corporation.

Fernando has been working as a seafarer for more than 10 years now. With his wife Arcelie, they continue to work hard to ensure a comfortable life for their two young children- Faye Angela, 7, and Kurt Andrei, 5 years old while keeping their relations strong.

The Salib - o family invested their money to buy an eight hectare rice field and maintains a small grocery business.

Aside from the plaque of recognition and cash prize, the Sevilleja and Salib - o families will represent Cordillera in the national MOFYA tilt.

OWWA - CAR Regional Director Manuela Pena said the search for Model OFW Families started in 2005 to give recognition not only to the contribution of the so-called modern day heroes in the country's economy, but more importantly, on the OFWs and their respective families' achievements for bringing about a better life, maintaining close family ties and being active members of their community despite the social cost of migration.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan, in a message during the MOFYA awarding ceremony, challenged other OFW families, both the person working abroad the family members left behind, to do their best in overcoming the challenges of social migration and be model for others like the region's MOFYA nominees and winners.

The other nominees for the 2018 MOFYA regional search are Teresita Calado and family of Sablan, Benguet; Jerry Kadiosan and family of Bontoc, Mountain Province; Glory Laus and Ffmily of Besao, Mountain Province; Marcelo Eroy and family of Tuba Benguet; and Evelyn Kimbungan and family of La Trinidad, Benguet. They also received cash prizes and certificates of recognition.

The Eroy family and the Kimbungan family also received special awards for outstanding achievement in community project and entrepreneurship, respectively. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)