The Global Filipino Magazine TGFM Issue 22 - February 2022

Talking, showing creativity, and entertaining people are Shayne Marie Monasterio’s forte. A graduate of Organizational Communication and Advertising from De La Salle University-Manila, Shayne is described as a charismatic individual, intelligent, creative with grit, and holds a whole lot of confidence. She had on-the-job training in one of the top PR agencies in the Philippines. After graduating, she was offered a job as a PR consultant that would handle accounts in FMCG, airline, and pharmaceutical industries. From then, she left the client servicing career and chose to be the client. She moved to retail and had an opportunity to work for Ayala and SM Corporation. In the midst of working at SM Corporation, Shayne received a call from a headhunter in Doha, Qatar, offering her a job in the hospitality…

Living abroad is a continuous learning experience as one gets to mingle with people of different nationalities and learn about their culture. H.E Dr. Edna Joyce Santos, a seasoned ophthalmologist who has been living in the UAE for more than two decades now, said that living overseas taught her to be independent and at the same time she learned how to be more tolerant and understanding of people from different races, cultures, and religious backgrounds. Dr. Edna holds several positions of responsibility by virtue of her work as an ophthalmologist. Presently, she is the Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary and Special Advisor to the Holy Royal Crown Council of the Antiquities Imperial Kingdom of the Nation of YMWH, tribe of YHDHYCQN. She is also the head of the department of ophthalmology…

Johnell P. Fodra is an overseas Filipino worker based in Al Ain. Like many Filipino workers abroad, his ultimate dream is to provide his family with a better future. Ultimately, his vision is to become a top-performing barista in the UAE. Before embarking on an overseas journey, he started working as a maintenance and technician in a company in the Philippines. To lead a healthy life and expand his network, he joined basketball leagues in their area. When he arrived in the UAE in 2015, he worked as a waiter. His exposure to the F&B industry enhanced his communication skills, allowing him to express himself efficiently and effectively when dealing with their customers. When Johnell was asked about a time when he struggled abroad, he said it was during the…

To empower the community of women in the Philippines is Mark Anthony Palabrica’s top priority. As he becomes his boss, the owner of Aton Ini Iloilo, his vision is to have his brand be renowned that transcends style and culture through their eco friendly products. Mark Anthony is committed to promoting sustainable products through women’s empowerment. Their products are carefully sourced and entirely handmade by a local community of weavers that the company has supported. As the founder of the Aton Ini Iloilo, he regularly travels for five hours to visit his weavers in the mountains. “I usually sit and eat with them while discussing their concerns on how to make money for their living expenses,” he said. After hearing their sentiments, he wanted to help them, so he promised…

Hitting rock bottom is scary. You realize that you are going down and never getting up again. Arfil Tubio Alama felt this when he arrived in the UAE in 2019. He said that life abroad isn’t easy, especially when he struggled to look for a job. He came on the month when preparation for Ramadan was at its peak, so securing one was slim. He recalled going to areas like Mussaffa just to send his CVs, and when he didn’t know where the bus station was, he had to walk for two hours under the heat of the Arabian sun. When his visit visa was about to expire, he had to come up with another plan to have his visa renewed and pay for his exit expenses to Oman. “I…

For Anna Katrina Galsim Vivero, working in the hospitality industry in the UAE for nearly a decade now has allowed her to grow professionally and personally. Her expertise in the field includes sales and marketing, liaising with clients, and providing them with a variety of hotel accommodations. Her journey in her chosen field began when she arrived in the UAE nine years ago and worked as a receptionist for Ivory Hotel Apartment in Abu Dhabi. After gaining experience and skills, she was able to secure a job with Gromaxx Hotels Management, which has a long-term partnership with the largest international hotel chain Wyndham. She started working as a cluster assistant to the sales manager (corporate) in the same hotel. Due to her significant contributions to the organization, she was consistently…