Garcia family members receive the award in behalf of Master Mariner Charle Garcia, who was at sea abroad, and unable to attend the OFW awards event at the Casino Espanol in Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
Master Mariner Charle Garcia wasn’t around when his name was called to receive the Model Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Family of the Year 2015 Award for the sea-based category in Central Visayas last Wednesday.
He only learned about it from his proud wife and five children who updated him on their social media accounts. Garcia works as a chief mate of a vessel in China.
In awarding ceremonies in Casiño Español de Cebu, his wife Junamil and father Anito gave a speech on the seaman’s behalf.
They were joined on stage by Garcia’s five daughters who wore Filipiniana gowns for the event.
In his speech, the elder Garcia said he discouraged his son Charle from taking a nautical course due to the risks of the job.
But he said Charle was persistent and wanted to make his dream of traveling around the world come true.
Garcia’s father said he was proud of his son for raising a family on his own amid the challenges of his job.
The other finalists of the sea-based category were Paulino Narisma of Dauis, Bohol and Roberto. Vallente of Daanbantayan, Cebu.
Charle together with Homer Balais, a pastor and former civil supervisor in Qatar for 20 years and a native of Antequera, Bohol, will represent Central Visayas in the Model OFW Family of the Year 2015 selection nationwide.
Balais bested other nominees for the land-based category like Rufino Capacio of Daanbantayan, Cebu, Crispin Cayang, who hails from Bayawan, Negros Oriental and Victoria Gom-os, of Larena, Siquijor..
Balais quit his job to concentrate on community service to help Boholanos recover from the devastation of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Oct. 15, 2013. He spearheaded a rescue operation which recovered a child trapped under a collapsed building.
Meanwhile Charle Garcia, a member of the Couples for Christ, has been working overseas on board a sea vessel for 25 years .
When he got married, he worked in his uncle’s small business in Cebu City’s pier area while his wife resigned from her government job to be a full-time mother.
When their second child arrived, Charle had to return to overseas employment to provide for the family. All his children graduated with honors.
The Garcia family has been active in socio-civic organizations and community service.
They spearheaded relief operations for victims of typhoon Sendong and Yolanda.
They do yearly Christmas caroling, in which the family gave noche buena goods to the poor.
The MOFYA was launched in 2005 to recognize outstanding achievements of OFWs and their families.