Note: This article discusses a historical event and may contain sensitive themes.

In the early morning of 14 July 1966 in Chicago, Illinois, 23-year-old Corazon Amurao became the lone survivor of Richard Speck, America’s first mass murderer. The Filipino exchange nurse survived by crawling and hiding under a double decker bed while Speck was distracted with his other victims.

Hours later, Amurao gingerly emerged from her hiding spot and realized her eight housemates were gone.

Among them were two Filipino nurses, Valentina Pasion and Merlita Gargullo. They and Amurao had only been in the US for several weeks.

Gloria Davy, Patricia Matusek, Nina Jo Schmale, Pamela Wilkening, Suzanne Farris, and Mary Ann Jordan also fell victim to Speck that night. They were all in their 20s and were just starting their careers as nurses.

Amurao, Pasion, and Gargullo were three young Filipinos who worked as exchange nurses at the South Chicago Community Hospital. All three lived in what would later become the scene of the crime: 2319 East 100th Street.

Amurao, a Far Eastern University alumna and native of San Luis, Batangas, was known for her adaptability and her grace under pressure. These would come in handy on the night of the crime and in the months leading up to Speck’s arrest and conviction.

In the Philippines, 23-year-old Pasion had graduated in the top 10 of her class in Manila Central University. A lawyer’s daughter, she earned a reputation among colleagues as a great cook.Before the crime, Pasion had written her parents and promised to send some money to fix their home in Isabela.

The daughter of a doctor in Mindoro, 23-year-old Gargullo graduated from Arellano University. Her fellow nurses remembered her beautiful singing voice and the delicious adobo and pancit she would cook for them.

The murder of Pasion, Gargullo, and their roommates shocked the world with its senselessness.

Explaining why he committed what was dubbed as America’s crime of the century, Speck merely said, “It just wasn’t their night.”

But luck was on one nurse’s side. Another Filipino who would have been Speck’s 10th victim had she not gone home that night.

Just hours before Speck arrived, Filipino exchange nurse Luisa Silverio and her colleague and friend Pasion were doing each other’s nails at Townhouse 2319.

While they talked about homesickness, Pasion planned to cook pancit for dinner and invited Silverio to stay the night.

Silverio then walked back to her nearby apartment to write home and pack for the sleepover. While she was there, the community hospital phoned and requested her for a shift the next morning.

With work changing her plans, Silverio walked back to Townhouse 2319 to personally back out of the sleepover.

She rang the front doorbell. No answer.

She tried the back doorbell. Silence.

When no one got the door, Silverio rang the front doorbell one last time. Nothing.

Assuming no one was home, Silverio returned to her apartment.

In court records, Amurao would recall hearing a doorbell, going downstairs with Speck and another housemate to respond, and seeing no one at the door. Silverio had likely gone to the back to ring the second doorbell when Speck opened the front door.

After her first doorbell, Speck ignored the succeeding two rings until Silverio finally went home.

“[She] inadvertently courted death three times and escaped unscathed,” wrote Silverio’s grandniece Ysabel Vitangcol for Vice.

Unlike Silverio, Mary Ann Jordan was not as lucky. She slept over at Townhouse 2319 that night. 

Unsure if speaking out would affect her nursing career and her dream of moving to the United States, Silverio would not share her story with the public for over 50 years.

Years later, she said the crime and the loss of her friends and colleagues broke her heart too.

Silverio said to Vitangcol, “I was traumatised. It was devastating. All my fellow nurses and I did was cry.”

This was not what she, Pasion, Gargullo, Amurao and their fellow Filipino nurses had imagined for themselves when they left the Philippines to work as nurses in the US.

“After the U.S. colonized the Philippines in the late 19th century, the country has relied on Filipino health care workers to mend the staffing gaps in America’s patchwork health care system, especially in times of medical crisis,” wrote Paulina Cachero in an article for Time.

With the exception of colonial and missionary-run hospitals, there were few medical facilities who could care for American soldiers suffering from sickness and infection at the start of the American colonial period in the Philippines.

Thus, the US set up schools and hospitals to produce more healthcare workers in the archipelago.

Among the Filipino nurses the colonial government trained, a select few travelled to the US to hone their skills, eventually replacing their American bosses in schools and hospitals when they returned to the Philippines.

To many Filipinos at that time, nursing was the career path to respectability and financial stability.

Then with nursing shortages after World War 2, the US Exchange Visitor Program opened its doors to more Filipino nurses in 1948. The program allowed foreign-trained nurses to gain experience and work in America for two years.

By the 1960s a second door opened for Filipino nurses.

The Immigration and Nationality Act created a path for visiting Filipino nurses to become permanent residents in the US at a time when American hospitals were struggling to care for the many patients availing healthcare via Medicare and Medicaid.

Meanwhile, the 1960s Filipino government under then president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. pushed for Filipinos to work abroad and send money to the Philippines as a way to bolster the national economy.

It was during this time that Amurao, Pasion, Gargullo, and Silverio entered the US as exchange nurses.

And it was in this decade that Amurao would become the key witness who would put Speck in prison and bring justice to her friends.

“Perhaps never in the history of the Chicago police has the key to a murder rested more on the one slender thread of a girl’s memory of a night of horror,” wrote Noble DeSalvi for The Daily Calumet barely two days after the crime.

Police had to hope Amurao could remember everything from that night—despite enduring what could cause anyone of a weaker temperament to fold.

At around 11 p.m. on 13 July 1966, just as she was about to call it a night, Amurao heard knocking at her bedroom door. She opened the door to the sight of Speck brandishing a gun and knife.

Amurao and her roommate then ran to another friend’s room and hid in a closet. But minutes later, a housemate coaxed them out of hiding, saying Speck would not hurt them.

He did.

Eight nurses died that night, each picked out by Speck from a single room where he had gathered all his scared victims. Only Amurao survived by inching her way under a double-decker bed, even though Speck had tied her hands and ankles with torn bedsheet strips.

She stayed hidden for five hours, witnessing Speck take her friends one by one.

At 5:30 a.m. the next day, almost three hours after Speck had left the scene, Amurao untied herself and crawled out of her hiding spot.

Horrified by the sight of her departed friends, Amurao went onto a window ledge and screamed for help.

Barely a day after witnessing the crime, Amurao spoke to Chicago police for two hours. She provided details for a police sketch of Speck that made rounds in the media. She also identified Speck from a photo line-up.

But among the biggest clues she gave the police was her memory of the “Born to Raise Hell” tattoo on Speck’s arm.

The press ran the story.

Quickly after, a doctor treating Speck for self-injury spotted the said tattoo and called the police.

And on 19 July, Amurao faced Speck in his hospital room and confirmed his identity to the police.

Less than a year later, she stepped down from the witness stand and pointed Speck out to a judge and jury in Peoria, Illinois on 6 April 1967.

She said, holding her index finger just inches from Speck’s face, “This is the man.”

The late William Martin, lead prosecutor in the case against Speck, said:

“Most witnesses would say, ‘He’s the man in the black suit, etc., or point to him from the witness stand. Cora—and this was to everyone’s amazement, mine more than anybody else—unlatched the door, stepped down from the witness stand, walked across the courtroom, went to the table where Speck was seated. Went right up to him and took her finger within two inches of his forehead, pointed at him and said, ‘This is the man.’ And pandemonium erupted briefly.”

“It was the most dramatic moment I’ve ever seen in a courtroom before or since,” he said.

Despite her trauma, Amurao spent hours on the stand recounting the crime and facing cross examination.

Twelve days later, the jury found Speck guilty of murder after only 49 minutes of deliberations.

He was sentenced to death in June 1967 but was resentenced to eight consecutive life terms in the 1970s following a US Supreme Court ruling. He spent the rest of his life in prison and died of a heart attack in 1991.

After the trial, Amurao returned to the Philippines with a fourth of the $10,000 reward for her part in convicting Speck.

She had a brief stint in local politics when she ran for councillor in San Luis, Batangas under the Liberal Party banner in 1967.

In 1969, Amurao married Alberto Atienza in the Philippines. The couple moved to the US in the 1970s.

There, Amurao maintained a private life and built a career as a critical care nurse in Washington, D.C. until her retirement in 2013.

While working as a nurse, Amurao raised two children, Abigail, who took up the same profession; and Christian, who became a certified public accountant.

Amurao is now a proud grandmother to six grandchildren, but she still bears scars from that fateful night.

“She showed the indomitability of her spirit by continuing her path as a nurse and dedicating her life to helping others and raising a family, but you can never get something like this out of your life,” said Martin to Rosemary Sobol of the Chicago Tribune in 2016, five decades after the crime.

Amurao said something similar in a 1991 interview with ABC 7 Chicago, one of her only interviews after the crime: “After that night, I’m always scared, you know. I’m not that kind of person, because I’m always a happy person. But then after that night it seems like he [took] some of my happiness.”

Years later, Sobol reported Amurao still has nightmares about Speck coming for her.

But Amurao has held on to her faith.

According to Sobol, Amurao emailed former prosecutor Martin, saying, “”I think there was somebody up there who was hiding me from [Speck]. God was so nice.”

It was an echo of something she told ABC 7 Chicago in 1991: “I think [God] spared me so that I can do more things.”

And more things she did.

Kabayan Remit is an online money transfer app that helps OFWs safely send money to trustworthy banks, e-wallets, and cash remittance centres in the Philippines. It is available in the United Kingdom and Canada and will soon be available in Illinois, Florida, and Arizona.

To learn more about our features and to try our free exchange rate calculator, click here.

Before we explore the effects of tariffs, let’s first clarify what they are. According to the Council of Foreign Relations, “Tariffs are a form of tax applied on imports from other countries.” 

For example, if Country A has a 10% tariff on wheat from Country B, Country B would need to pay that tariff when they export wheat to Country A.

The amount a government charges for an import is usually a percentage of the product’s value. For example, if a product is £100, a 10% tariff would make it cost £110.

“Economists say the costs [of tariffs] are largely passed on to consumers,” reported CFR.

News on tariffs have been making rounds online since the start of the year. But the most impactful developments made headlines on 2 April, when United States President Donald Trump declared a new set of what he dubbed “liberation day” tariffs that charge at least 10% on foreign goods sold to the US.

The Philippines—which mainly exports electronics to America—was included in Trump’s list, with the US proposing to charge 17% on Philippine goods entering America starting 9 April. However, this was postponed after Trump announced a three-month pause on tariffs higher than 10%.

Exempted from the pause is China, whose goods will receive a 120% tariff plus another 25% tariff that had been in effect since around February. Mexico and Canada were also affected by this earlier 25% tariff but are excluded from the newer 10% tariffs.

Countries charge tariffs for the following reasons:

A country may have an industry that is growing locally but would suffer if foreign competitors enter the country bringing a larger inventory of cheaper options for customers.

Some countries impose tariffs due to stricter material or ingredient regulations. For example, Country A may tax toys from Country B, where paint standards are more relaxed.

Also called revenue tariffs, these are used to generate additional income for a country.

If Country A disagrees with Country B about their policy, or if a deal between the two countries falls through, Country A might impose tariffs on goods from Country B in retaliation.

While tariffs may benefit the countries implementing them, it may also have negative effects on its citizens. These fees may lead to other countries implementing their tariffs in response, making things more expensive for the regular buyer. This is why tariffs in the US have been making the news.

Some recent news on tariffs were about how these would affect the price of iPhones.

According to tech news publisher CNET, “If Apple passed the full 145% China tariff costs on to customers, the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 1TB of storage could increase from [US]$1,599 to over $3,900.”

Apple, an American brand, produces some of its products in China. And as of 12 April, smartphones, computers, and other gadgets are exempted from the new US tariffs.

However, tariffs not only affect the price of gadgets but also the cost of groceries, clothes, and other everyday essentials.

The Associated Press reported that avocado growers slowed production in Mexico after the US put 25% tariffs on Mexican imports earlier this year. The AP also published news on how tariffs may affect car ownership because of the possible increase in the cost of imported car parts.

Since the things we make and buy now depend on a more global production process, other essentials—like food, clothes, or household appliances—may end up costing more because of the new tariffs from the US.

Those who would bear the brunt of a possible rise in prices would be people with lower incomes, who spend a chunk of their money on essentials compared with those who earn enough to withstand inflation.

The AP also reported another risk: New tariffs from the US may bring down profits for businesses in different parts of the world; it may also drive businesses to restructure their supply chains. This could cause some people to lose their jobs.

In recent news, the Philippine government has said the possible 17% tariff on goods we export to the US will have a minimal effect on the country and may even have some advantages.

The proposed 17% on Philippine exports to the US is the second lowest of US tariffs in Southeast Asia. The US assigned the baseline 10% tariff rate to Singapore and gave the highest rate, 49%, to Cambodia. This may lead international businesses to consider the Philippines as a more affordable manufacturing and agricultural partner in the region.

However, Sec. Cristina Roque of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry said her team is still hoping to schedule a meeting with the US Department of Commerce before the end of the three-month pause on US tariffs to find out what the final rate for the Philippines will be.

“If 17 percent and our ASEAN neighbours are higher than us, of course that’s advantageous for us,” said Roque to the Manila Bulletin. “But we don’t know what will happen after 90 days so it’s hard to speculate until we get to talk to my counterpart there in the US.”

Tariffs may make everyday things more expensive. This will affect not only the Pinoys doing business in the Philippines but also OFWs.

So how can Pinoys and OFWs prepare for a possible increase in prices?

Here are some ways:

• Stick with your financial New Year’s resolutions – Knowing your financial goals, how you spend, and where your money should go will help you set a realistic budget as prices adjust to accommodate the new US tariffs.
• Buy smart – Since you know your spending habits, stock up on items you purchase regularly, but, avoid panic buying so you don’t waste money overstocking on things that spoil quickly.
• Follow our money management tips for OFWs. Plan a budget with your family, prioritize your debts, and separate your expense account from your savings.
• Save – Find ways to spend less when you send money to the Philippines. Use a money remittance app like Kabayan Remit.

Kabayan Remit is a secure money remittance app that lets OFWs in the UK, the US, and Canada send money to the Philippines at competitive exchange rates. To learn more, click here.

Ruffa Gutierrez is Kabayan Remit’s first official global ambassador. The actress, model, entrepreneur, and beauty queen sealed the deal with the money remittance app on 10 April at a contract signing and press conference event in Super Sam, Quezon City, Philippines.

As global ambassador, Ruffa will appear in Kabayan Remit’s official website, promotional materials, social media content, and international events.

“I’m so grateful and so proud to be a part of the Kabayan Remit family, whose commitment is to really help hardworking Filipinos overseas to send love to the Philippines in the most convenient way,” she said.

Ruffa is the eldest and only daughter of veteran actors Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama. Following in her parents’ footsteps, she has been acting and modelling since the 1980s. In 1993, she gained national attention for winning the Binibining Pilipinas – World crown. She has been a household name ever since.

However, Ruffa’s celebrity status is not the only reason she became Kabayan Remit’s global ambassador.

“Ms. Ruffa is a mom—a sister—who knows the importance of loving and supporting her family,” said Princess Manalo, Head of Operations at Kabayan Remit. Manalo also said these are values Ruffa shares with the overseas Filipino workers Kabayan Remit serves.

Karina Salve Untalan, Kabayan Remit Commercial Marketing Manager, added to Manalo’s statement, saying Ruffa “embodies all of the hardworking Filipinos abroad.”

Apart from acting and modelling, Ruffa is currently pursuing a master’s degree in communication at the Philippine Women’s University. In 2013, she was also accepted into the International Political Economy summer program at King’s College London.

Above all these, Ruffa is a mother to two young women, Lorin and Venice, who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in the US.

“I know also what it feels like to be far from our loved ones in the Philippines,” said Ruffa.

Ruffa spent a part of her childhood in the United States, helping her parents sell kitchenware for additional allowance. She recalled how her parents had missed acting and eventually decided to return to the Philippines.

As an adult, Ruffa worked as a television host in the US and later spent four years in Istanbul, Turkey as a housewife and a mother to her two young daughters. She would eventually come home to raise her daughters and resume her show business career in the Philippines.

Recalling her time abroad, Ruffa commended OFWs for their strength and resilience to continue working far from home and family. She said she is glad there are now easier and cost-efficient ways for OFWs to send love to the Philippines.

“Hopefully, we will also expand—not only to just be in Canada, the [United Kingdom], and the US—but sana in the Middle East as well, kasi maraming mga Pilipino din doon (but hopefully in the Middle East as well, because there are a lot of Filipinos there too).”

Ruffa does not work with just any product or company. She makes time to test products and check a company’s reputation before signing with them. 

“I also want to make sure that I’m endorsing a product or a brand I truly trust and admire and believe in,” she said. According to the multihyphenate actress, these qualities make it easier for her to endorse the product or brand.

Ruffa said she experienced the benefits of Kabayan Remit herself after she attended the Taste of Manila festival in Canada last year.

She said she was impressed by how quickly she received a remittance from the Kabayan Remit team, and hoped more OFWs can try the app to send love home to the Philippines within the day and at competitive exchange rates.

“’Yung bayad sa akin dito one day lang, nasa account ko na! Hindi siya ganoong katagal, and the money is coming from abroad. So nakita ko talaga, before I endorsed them, kung gaano kabilis talaga magpadala ng love from the UK, the US, and Canada sa akin dito [in the Philippines],” she said.

 (“I received my payment from Kabayan Remit in one day. It didn’t take that long, and the money is coming from abroad. So I really saw, before I endorsed them, how quickly they could send love from the UK, the US, and Canada to me here [in the Philippines].”)

Endorsed by Ruffa Gutierrez, the newly updated Kabayan Remit is a secure money transfer app that lets OFWs in the UK, Canada, and the US send money to the Philippines.

Operating since 2012, the app uses bank-level security features and data encryption to ensure OFWs’ hard-earned funds reach their loved ones’ bank accounts, e-wallets, or trusted cash remittance centres in the Philippines.

Among the reputable bank accounts Kabayan Remit accepts are:

• Banco de Oro
• Bank of the Philippine Islands
• Metrobank
• Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Kabayan Remit also lets OFWs send remittances to e-wallets like:

• GCash
• Maya
• ShopeePay

Additionally, OFWs can use the app to send money to these well-known Filipino cash remittance centres:

• Cebuana Lhuillier
• LBC Express
• Palawan Pawnshop

And Kabayan Remit is not just for sending money to loved ones. OFWs can also use the app to maximise their remittances by paying their government contributions (i.e., Social Security System, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG), paying for their loved ones’ education in the Philippines, or investing in real estate.

Setting it apart from other money transfer apps, Kabayan Remit has competitive exchange rates, low service fees, and a 24/7 bilingual customer support team that allows OFWs to get the help they need in the language their comfortable in. OFWs can also evaluate Kabayan Remit’s rates using the brand’s exchange rate calculator here.

To sign up for Kabayan Remit, simply download the app and follow these three easy steps:

1. Open a free Kabayan Remit mobile app account.
2. Enter your loved one’s bank, e-wallet, or cash collection details.
3. Start remitting funds.

Lucky OFWs may even qualify for prizes from Kabayan Remit’s rewards program and seasonal raffles.

Last year, Kabayan Remit gifted free round-trip tickets to the Philippines to a lucky Pinoy.

We’re giving the Kabayan Remit mobile app a brand-new look to make your experience better than ever! Soon you’ll be experiencing a smoother, faster, and more secure remittance journey while still enjoying the trusted service you know and love.

• What’s new?
• Getting ready for the mobile app update
• Get on board the refreshed mobile app
  • For existing customers
  • For new customers
• Don’t miss this next-level mobile experience

We listened to our Kabayans’ feedback and made important changes to enhance your experience. Here’s what to expect after the mobile app update:

Get peace of mind with extra layers of security to safeguard your personal information and transactions.

Access your account faster by using your phone number! You can also sign in using biometrics, like Face or Touch ID, for an even more effortless login process.

A fresh, intuitive interface that makes navigating the app a breeze. Sending money has never been easier!

Do you have an existing account with Kabayan Remit? To ensure a smooth transition to the updated mobile app, verify your mobile phone number. It’s quick and easy! Just follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to the app using your usual credentials.
2. Enter your mobile number in the pop-up window.
3. Input and confirm the SMS verification code you receive.

If you’ve already verified your mobile number, you can sit back and relax—no further action is required. You’re all set!

As soon as the mobile app update goes live, you’ll be able to jump right in with ease! Let’s get you set up in no time!

If you are an existing customer logging in for the first time on the updated Kabayan Remit mobile app, please follow these steps:

If you’re new to Kabayan Remit, congratulations! You’ll fit right in with thousands of satisfied Kabayans. Here’s how to get started:

Stay tuned for a sleeker interface, enhanced security, and a user-friendly design that puts your needs first. Everything you know and trust is still here, just better organized and easier to use!

Make sure you’re using the Kabayan Remit mobile app on iOS or Android to enjoy the full benefits of this fresh new look.

This Christmas season, Kabayan Remit is giving Overseas Filipino workers in the United Kingdom and Canada the chance to win a trip to the Philippines through Regalo Rush 2024.

A first in Kabayan Remit history, this holiday-themed raffle will gift lucky OFWs with cash prizes, appliances, and big discounts—including the grand prize: an economy flight to and from the Philippines.

By sending money to the Philippines with Kabayan Remit, OFWs in the UK and Canada can accumulate points and qualify for the raffle draw on December 14.

Who knows, this may be your chance to go home for the holidays!

Read on to learn how you can increase your chances of winning the money transfer app’s biggest pamasko yet.

• Who can join?
• How can I join the Kabayan Remit Rewards Program?
• How do I earn points? How do I win a trip to the Philippines?
• I want to raise my chances of winning. How do I refer a friend to Kabayan Remit?
• How do I get Regalo Rush raffle entries?
• What prizes can I win in Regalo Rush 2024? How can I claim my free trip to the Philippines if I win?
• Sending more love home to gets you closer to winning a free trip to the Philippines

Regalo Rush 2024 is open to all Kabayan Remit users in the UK and Canada who are enrolled in the Kabayan Remit Rewards Program.

Eligible OFWs must have made enough transactions using the app to land in the bronze, silver, or gold rewards tiers.

OFWs in the UK and Canada can join the Kabayan Remit Rewards Program by opening an account and sending their remittances through Kabayan Remit.

The more transactions and successful referrals you make, the more points you earn. More points mean bigger rewards.

The number of points you earn for every remittance or successful referral depends on your rewards tier. Based on how many points you have, you can fall under these four tiers:

• No Tier – 0 to 499 points
• Bronze Tier – 500 to 1,149 points
• Silver Tier – 1,150 to 2,499 points
• Gold Tier – 2,500 points or more

The higher your rewards tier, the higher the points you earn and the bigger the prizes. For example, in this rewards season, customers in the Gold Tier stand a chance to win trip to the Philippines this season!

To see how many points you can earn based on your tier and current location, check out the table below. 

Kabayan Remit Rewards Points Earned for Every Successful Transaction

You can earn more points to qualify for Regalo Rush 2024 when you refer a friend to Kabayan Remit.

To get the ball rolling, simply follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Kabayan Remit app.
2. Tap the “Invite” button at the bottom of your screen.
3. Choose “Invite friends” and copy the referral link made especially for you.
4. Share the referral link with your OFW friends and invite them to use Kabayan Remit.

1. Log in to your Kabayan Remit account.
2. Bring your cursor to the left of the screen and click “Refer a friend.” 
3. Invite friends to try Kabayan Remit using your specially made referral link or by sending them an invitation email.

Remember: A successful referral means your friend has opened a Kabayan Remit account and transferred a minimum amount of £100 (from the UK) or C$150 (from Canada) to the Philippines using the Kabayan Remit app. Sending links or invitations is only the first step!

As a bonus, referrals not only earn you more points to join Regalo Rush 2024, but they also earn you cash rewards. OFWs in the UK can earn £70 every time they complete three successful referrals, while OFWs in Canada can earn C$100.

To learn how you can earn through the Kabayan Remit Referral Program click here.

OFWs in Kabayan Remit’s bronze, silver, or gold rewards tiers are eligible to join Regalo Rush 2024. 

To qualify for a raffle entry, you must meet one of these criteria:

• You have earned 500 points in Kabayan Remit’s Rewards Program.
• You have made five successful remittances to the Philippines using Kabayan Remit.
• You have successfully referred five friends to Kabayan Remit.

You’ll also get to keep your points after you send in a raffle entry. That means you can keep adding to your existing points and to your Regalo Rush raffle entries.

Regalo Rush winners can look forward to winning any of these prizes:

• Three months’ worth of Kabayan Remit services for free
• A Nespresso Essenza Mini
• Cash or gift certificates

The grand prize winner will get the best Christmas gift yet: a trip to the Philippines to spend time with loved ones!

The OFW from the UK or Canada who wins the grand prize can even choose their travel dates, or they can choose to convert the cost of buying a direct flight to Manila into cash.

There’s still time to join Regalo Rush 2024 today! Start sending love and earning rewards points before the current rewards cycle ends. Follow our Facebook page for updates on the raffle draw on Dec. 14.

To open an account, download the Kabayan Remit app and follow these three easy steps:

1. Register for a free account using your name, email address, and country of residence.
2. Input your loved one’s details. This is the person you will be sending your remittances to.
3. Start sending love to major banks, e-wallets, and cash remittance centres in the Philippines, like BPI, GCash, or Cebuana Lhuillier!

Whether you’re in the UK or Canada, you can rest assured knowing that your funds go through bank-level security as it makes its way from your Kabayan Remit app to your loved ones back home.

To learn more about Kabayan Remit’s services and try our free calculator tool, click here.

To talk to someone about your Kabayan Remit account or transactions, contact our 24/7 bilingual support team here.

While Mpox made headlines in the Philippines in August, this is not the first time the illness was part of the country’s news.

There are 14 active mpox cases in the Pearl of the Orient as of 9 September 2024, but the country’s health department has been reporting mpox in the Philippines since 2022—the same year the World Health Organisation declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

WHO removed the disease’s PHEIC status in May 2023 following a drop in reported cases; but with a new type of mpox reported this year and a recent uptick in cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and nearby countries, the United Nations’ health agency again declared mpox a PHEIC in August 2024.

Considering recent international and Philippine events, Kabayan Remit has gathered pertinent information to keep you up to date on mpox, what it is, and what you can do to stay safe. Read on to learn more.

Mpox (formerly monkeypox) is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus.

According to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “This virus is part of the same family as the virus that causes smallpox.”

Though similarly named, mpox and chickenpox are not related.

According to WHO, mpox is part of the genus Orthopoxvirus in the Poxviridae family. It has two types:

• Clade I – This type of mpox, specifically the clade Ib strain, is what is being reported in cases from Central and East Africa and the reason for the WHO’s PHEIC declaration in August 2024. According to the CDC, records suggest that this clade is more severe than mpox clade II.
• Clade II – This, specifically clade IIb, was the cause of the WHO’s PHEIC declaration in 2022. Reported cases of this type of mpox usually come from West Africa, but the 2022 PHEIC recorded cases around the world.

While mpox may seem like a new disease, scientists have records of this illness dating back to the 20th century.

It was first recorded in a Danish lab in 1958, when scientists observed poxes on research monkeys. What caused these poxes remains undetermined.

Twelve years later, the DRC recorded the first case of mpox on a human; and in the decades that followed, doctors continued recording mpox cases from Central, West, and East Africa. Since 2005, the DRC has reported thousands of cases.

News of mpox reaching a different continent came in 2003, when the U.S. reported an mpox outbreak. According to the WHO, these cases were “linked to imported wild animals.”

More recent news reported mpox in Nigeria in 2017, followed by the PHEIC in 2022. That same year, the WHO changed the disease’s name to mpox to address the “racist and stigmatizing language online” that stemmed from using the old “monkeypox” name.

The WHO declared a second PHEIC in August 2024, following an outbreak of mpox clade Ib “in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries.” Other types of mpox continue to be reported in the DRC, countries in Africa, and in other parts of the world—including the Philippines.

Columbia University’s Pandemic Response Institute reported four ways mpox is transmitted among people, animals, and contaminated objects:

• Person-to-person transmission – A person touches someone or is close to someone with mpox. This type of transmission includes sexual contact, breathing, talking, hugging, or kissing. 
• Fomite transmission – A person touches something that has been exposed to someone with mpox.
• Animal-to-person transmission – A person handles or is wounded by a live animal carrying the virus. This is also when a person handles or ingests the uncooked meat of an animal with mpox.
• Health care setting transmission – A health professional is wounded by a contaminated needle or engages with an mpox patient without wearing the proper personal protective equipment.

According to the CDC, clade I is the more serious type of mpox, but deaths among patients with this clade have recently decreased to 1% to 3.3% from the previous rate of 10%.

“Infections from clade II mpox are generally less severe. More than 99.9% of people survive,” they said.

However, while people may recover from mpox, it is still important to take precautions against the disease—especially if you are among what the CDC identified as high-risk patients:

• Immunocompromised people
• Children under a year old
• People with a history of eczema
• Pregnant people and their foetuses or newborns

These four groups have a higher chance of experiencing complications if they contract mpox.

According to the WHO, people may begin experiencing mpox symptoms within a day to 3 weeks after exposure.

If you or someone you know may have mpox, look out for these signs:

• Rash
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Back pain
• Low energy
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Clogged nose
• Cough

Note that mpox rashes may resemble acne or blisters that hurt or itch and scab during the healing process. The rashes can appear all over the hands and feet and around the body, including the mouth, genitals, anus, and face.

According to the CDC, a person can transmit mpox when they begin showing symptoms, and they are only considered recovered when “the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.”

The Philippines recorded its first mpox case in July 2022. Since then, nine people have recovered, while 14 cases of mpox clade II remain active as of 9 Sept.

The country’s Department of Health said close contact, including sexual contact, was the usual mode of transmission for mpox cases in the Philippines.

“Anyone can get mpox, but it is clear that the mode of transmission here is close, intimate, skin-to-skin contact,” Philippine Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa told Rappler.

Herbosa said that the number of mpox cases in the country has been increasing because more people are getting tested for the disease.

Yes, there are two vaccines for mpox:

• Jynneos by Bavarian Nordic
• LC16 by KM Biologics

The WHO recommends that these high-risk groups get vaccinated against mpox:

• Health professionals
• Household or community members of someone with mpox
• People with multiple sexual partners
• Sex workers of any gender and their clients

People who have been exposed to mpox can still get vaccinated up to three days after exposure or at most 14 days after exposure if they have not yet developed symptoms.

In the country, the DOH is getting 2,000 doses of Jynneos to address mpox in the Philippines.

People may also get tested for free at any government hospital, with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine releasing results in 48 to 78 hours. To reduce the time it takes for patients to see their test results, the DOH is training more labs in mpox testing.

In a recent memorandum the DOH reminded everyone in the country to follow these “standard minimum precautions” to prevent mpox:

• Wash and sanitise hands regularly.
• Avoid close contact with anyone exhibiting mpox symptoms or with anyone who has handled objects that may be contaminated with mpox.
• Wear PPEs, like gloves and a mask, if you are caring for someone with mpox.
• Thoroughly sanitise objects that have been exposed to someone with mpox.
• Be careful around animals—living, sick, or dead—that may be carrying the mpox virus.

If you think you or someone you know may have mpox, remember to:

• Call a health professional as soon as possible.
• Get tested.
• Wear a mask, especially when around others.
• Isolate at home for 21 days or until your mpox rashes are fully healed and symptoms have stopped.
• Do not touch mpox rashes with your bare hands.
• Do not scratch or pop mpox rashes.
• Do not shave body parts where mpox rashes are present.
• Cover mpox rashes, especially when around others.
• Keep your skin clean and dry.
• Use separate linens and utensils from the rest of your household.
• Keep your pets in a separate part of the house.

If you have more questions about mpox, you can also consult these links:

• DOH’s 2022 guidelines for mpox
• WHO’s answers to frequently asked questions
• A guide by the US CDC

While you may be far away from your loved ones right now, you can still do your part in preventing the spread of mpox in the Philippines by keeping your family informed. Share this article with the people you love and encourage them to continue staying up to date with the latest news on this viral disease.

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Following this year’s Olympics, six Filipino athletes are in Paris to go for gold at the 2024 Paralympics. This is the biggest contingent of Pinoy para-athletes to compete in the international games since 2012.

With the games already in progress, get to know the Pinoys competing in para swimming, para archery, para athletics, and para taekwondo on the global stage.

One of the country’s flag bearers, 56-year-old Agustina Maximo Bantiloc is the first Filipino para archer to make it to the Paralympics. The former powerlifter recently concluded her stint at the 2024 Paralympics with a season best of 618 points.

“I am happy with what I performed because I believe I did my best,” she told ABS-CBN following her match. She also promised to improve and likened her rising to challenges to how she put her three children through college.

Flag bearer Ernie Gawilan won the Philippines’ first gold medal in the Asian Para Games by being the fastest swimmer in the men’s 400m freestyle-S7 event in 2023. He is set to compete in the same event and in the 200m individual medley-SM7 in Paris.

The 2024 Paralympics will be Gawilan’s third time to compete among the world’s best para-athletes, having competed in the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Games. In Tokyo, Gawilan swam close to a podium finish, ending in sixth place in men’s 400m freestyle-S7.

Angel Otom will be making her world debut in the 2024 Paralympics. Currently a sports science major in the University of the Philippines–Diliman, the university’s first varsity para swimmer won four gold medals at the 2023 ASEAN Para Games.

As a swimmer, Otom wants to inspire other people with disabilities and young athletes to believe in themselves and persevere. “The most important thing in sports is that you’re having fun with what you’re doing,” she said.

After missing the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics due to the coronavirus, Allain Keanu Ganapin will make his debut at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. He will be competing in the men’s K44 -80kg event.

The Marikina native turned to taekwondo to overcome bullying, using his martial arts skills to earn his peers’ respect and change how they viewed him. Ganapin eventually joined the Philippine taekwondo team in 2016.

As a national athlete, he won a bronze medal each from the 2017 Oceana Para Taekwondo Open in Auckland, New Zealand and the 2021 Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan.

Long-time para-athlete Jerrold Pete Mangliwan qualified for the 2024 Paralympics following his breathtaking win at the 2023 Asian Para Games, when the six-time ASEAN Games gold medallist beat Ueyonabaru Hirota in the men’s 400-meter T52 finals after initially trailing behind the Japanese racer.

Mangliwan had competed in four Asian Para Games before winning his first gold in October last year.

As of 9:33 p.m. of 30 Aug. 2024, Mangliwan won fourth place in the men’s 400m T52 qualifying event and has made it to the finals.

The 2024 Paralympics will mark Cendy Asusano’s debut in the world games. Asusano has won four gold medals in the ASEAN Para Games and recently reached fourth place in women’s javelin throw-F54 at the World Para Athletics Championships.

Besides javelin throw, Asusano is also a formidable shot-put athlete, having won a gold medal in the said event at the 2023 ASEAN Para Games.

The Paralympics have been running for 76 years since 29 July 1948, when Sir Ludwig Guttman held the Stoke Mandeville Games on the opening day of the 1948 London Olympics. Guttman had organised the games for World War 2 Royal Air Force veterans, providing 16 former pilots with spinal cord injuries a space to compete in archery and netball.

The Stoke Mandeville Games continued through the 1950s, eventually growing into an international event with hundreds of participants.

In 1960, the event gathered 400 para-athletes from 23 countries in Rome, Italy and became known as the quadrennial Paralympic Games. Organisers held their first winter para games in 1976.

Since 1988, the Paralympics have been held in the same city as the Olympics. That same year was also when the Philippines first joined the para games.

Since consistently joining the Paralympics in 2000, two Filipinos have won bronze medals:

• Adeline Dumapong – Dumapong won a bronze in women’s powerlifting in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.
• Josephine Medina – The late table tennis athlete Josephine Medina won the country’s second bronze in the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

Support the Philippines’ para-athletes at the 2024 Paralympics by watching the games live on the Paralympic Games’ official YouTube channel. To make sure you’re watching at the right time, check out our athletes’ schedules here.

Don’t watch alone! Make the games even more memorable by setting up a virtual watch party with friends and family in the Philippines and sending love with Kabayan Remit.

Kabayan Remit is a secure money transfer app that lets overseas Filipino workers safely send money from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States to major banks, e-wallets, and cash remittance centres in the Philippines, including:

• Bank of the Philippine Islands
• Metrobank
• Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation
• GCash
• Maya
• Cebuana Lhuillier 
• LBC
• Palawan Pawnshop

The app boasts bank-level security and encryption and is regulated in Canada and the UK by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada and the Financial Conduct Authority, respectively.

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Reaching a record turnout of 500,000 guests last year, Taste of Manila 2024 promises to bring a bigger and better cultural experience to Filipinos in Canada and anyone who wants to enjoy the sights, sounds, and flavours of Pinoy culture in the Great White North.

Taste of Manila is a Filipino culinary and cultural festival held in Toronto’s Little Manila. Organised by the Society of Philippine Artists, Recreation, and Community, the festival aims to bring together the Filipino Canadian community while also shining a spotlight on Philippine traditions and Pinoy-owned businesses.

With the theme “A Festival for Everyone,” Taste of Manila 2024 has opened its doors to cuisines and creations from other countries. In the words of SPARC, the festival’s goal is not only to bring joy to Filipinos living in Canada but also to promote an atmosphere of “inclusivity and diversity” throughout the event.

This year’s festival also commemorates the 75th anniversary of Philippine-Canadian bilateral relations.

Thinking about going to Taste of Manila? Here are five reasons why you should attend the biggest Filipino street fair in Canada.

Taste of Manila 2024 will be a gustatory delight for foodies visiting the festival as this year’s vendors offer flavours not only from the Philippine islands but also from locations around the world.

“While rooted in Filipino culture, we welcome other cultures to showcase their food and traditions, making it a truly inclusive event,” said SPARC.

From tteokbokki to kwek-kwek, here are some brands to try on your visit:

• Marry Me Mochi – This Ontario-based dessert shop specialises in mochi donuts and was founded by five Vietnamese siblings.
• Kung Fu Tea – The popular Taiwanese fast-food chain will offer guests authentic milk tea experiences.
• Lola Liza Foods – Enjoy barbecue, lumpia, siomai, or red hotdogs with a cup of rice and a can of Coke—just like your carefree days in Manila.
• Hang-Outs – This family-owned restaurant and catering company serves traditional Filipino food, like adobo, kare-kare, and lechon—dishes that require time and love.

Filipinos love to celebrate. And what’s more festive than getting together to dance and play?

Taste of Manila 2024 has lined up a dazzling magic show with Doc Duran to entertain young and old alike. Meanwhile, those who want to get some steps in between plates of barbecue and adobo can join several Zumba sessions hosted by Pinoy dance groups i and i Powerdance Fitness, ZDance Marathon Production, Dance Life Socials, and The Unstoppables.

It isn’t a Filipino party until someone performs!

Taste of Manila 2024 has gathered a roster of multi-genre singers and dancers, including:

• Call In Sick – This indie pop rock band recently released a Filipino single titled “Panganib.”
• JDL Filipino Cultural Team – See traditional Filipino dances performed by the young talents of JDL Performing Arts.
• Rachelle Show – Of Filipino and Congolese descent, this Canadian singer-songwriter—and daughter of Congolese performer ShowDoMan—is known for her pop songs “Best is Yet to Come” and “For You.”  
• Reggie Tortugo – The balladeer is known for his competitive stint in Philippine singing competition Tawag ng Tanghalan.
• Steeles Squad – The Toronto-based hip-hop group opened for Pinoy vocalist Michael Pangilinan in 2023 and released an album online in the same year.

These celebrities from Sparkle GMA Artist Center will be gracing Taste of Manila 2024’s main stage for the festival’s Saturday Primetime show:

• Alden Richards – Dubbed as Asia’s Multimedia Star, the actor made waves in the 2010s as half of Eat Bulaga’s popular love team AlDub. He is currently starring in GMA’s historical drama Pulang Araw alongside top-billing actors Barbie Forteza, David Licauco, and Sanya Lopez.
• Isko Moreno – The actor got his start in the ‘90s as a performer in That’s Entertainment after being discovered by a talent scout in Tondo. Since then, Moreno has built a long portfolio both as a performer and as a public servant, having served as mayor of Manila from 2019 to 2022.
• Boobay – The comedian and television host was recently lauded for his acting chops when he was awarded Best Supporting Actor at the 2022 Saskatchewan International Film Festival.

To top it all off, actress, beauty queen, entrepreneur, and Kabayan Remit endorser Ruffa Gutierrez will also be making a special appearance at the biggest Filipino food and cultural festival in Canada.

Taste of Manila 2024 will not only be filled with good food and talent but also thriving businesses owned by fellow Filipinos.

Among the festivals guests are:

• Mabuhay Services – A consultancy for Filipinos planning to move to Canada
• Reyes Tax – An accountancy service helping Filipinos in Canada stay on top of their taxes
• Kabayan Remit – A Filipino-owned money remittance app helping OFWs in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States send money to the Philippines at competitive exchange rates.

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For more information, the remittance app’s 24/7 bilingual support team is available to assist you here.

Taste of Manila 2024 will be held from 17 to 18 Aug. in Toronto’s Little Manila at the corner of Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue. Entrance is free.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics happening from 26 July to 11 August, all eyes are on the Philippine team to replicate their Tokyo 2020 performance and bring home the gold.

Team 2020 saw weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz win the country’s first gold medal, while boxers Eumir Marcial, Carlo Paalam, and Nesthy Petecio brought home bronze and silver medals for the Philippines.

This year, the Philippines returns to Paris—where the country debuted as the world’s first Southeast Asian Olympic participant a century ago—to surpass their previous record and cement their place as a team to beat.

As the Olympics draws nearer, let’s get to know the 22 high-calibre Filipino athletes making their way to the City of Lights.

Ranking second in the world for men’s pole vault, EJ Obiena made his Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020, where he finished in 11th place.

Obiena comes from a family of athletes; in fact, his father was his pole vault coach until he was 18. He made waves as a college athlete, breaking national records when he competed for the University of Santo Tomas.

As a professional athlete, Obiena became a Southeast Asian and Asian Games gold medallist and record breaker. Merely months before the 2024 Paris Olympics, he broke another record in February 2024 by clearing 5.93 metres and going beyond the previous Asian indoor pole vault record set in 1998.

In his second Olympic appearance, Obiena aims to make it to the podium and bring home a medal for the Philippines.

A Filipino from Spain, John Cabang Tolentino holds the Philippine national record for men’s 100-metre hurdles, having completed the feat at 13.37 seconds.

The 22-year-old has been running for the Philippines since 2022 and has since been going up the ranks in international competitions. He recently won the country a bronze medal at the 2024 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships.

As of July 2024, the World Athletics Organisation ranks Tolentino in the world’s top 40 male athletes in 100m hurdles.

Filipino American Lauren Hoffman holds the national record for women’s 400m and 100m hurdles. Already a track athlete in Duke University, Hoffman joined the Philippine national team after learning her performance record qualified her to represent the country. She began running under the Philippine banner in 2023, breaking national hurdling records along the way.

“I have the potential to be something great,” she recently told Rappler. “I’m on track to do something great. And I would love to represent the Philippines while I’m competing professionally.”

Carlos Yulo made his Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he narrowly missed a podium finish for men’s vault by a few decimal points.

Artistic gymnastics enthusiasts are hoping Yulo will finally win a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics despite entering the competition without a coach.

In 2023, Yulo amicably parted ways with his longtime trainer Munehiro Kugiyama. He was set to train with a new coach, Tomoharu Sano, that same year, but plans fell through after Sano was forced to bow out due to an injury.

Coachless, Yulo surprised the elite gymnastics community by failing to stick a landing in two routines at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium. Yet despite a rocky start, he still managed to secure an Olympic spot by excelling at floor exercise.

His most recent accolades include a bronze medal from the 2024 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Baku, Azerbaijan and gold and silver medals in the same event’s Doha, Qatar leg.

CORRECTION: While he was initially coachless in the early days of his journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Yulo later found a coach in Aldrin Castañeda, who used to train the gymnast at the junior level.

Filipino American Aleah Finnegan began her gymnastics journey when she was just two years old, following in the footsteps of her three older sisters. In fact, her eldest sister Hannah was also part of the Philippine team and represented the country in the 2011 SEA Games.

Finnegan was already an elite gymnast in the United States and had even attempted to join the U.S. national team for the Tokyo 2020 Games. While she failed to qualify for Team USA, she did receive an invitation from the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines to join the country’s national team.

Finnegan bagged gold and silver medals in the 2021 SEA Games wearing Philippine colours. In 2023, she qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics by ranking 32nd in the women’s all-around event at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championship in Belgium.

The youngest athlete in the Philippines’ 2024 Olympic lineup, Levi Jung-Ruivivar has been garnering awards since she was 10 years old.

The 18-year-old Filipino American had been competing for the US until Philippine gymnastics coach Cliff Parks invited her to join the Pinoy national team. In April, she clinched a spot in the Olympics by winning silver in uneven bars at the 2024 FIG World Cup in Doha.

After her Olympic debut, Jung-Ruivivar will be joining the gymnastics team at Stanford University.

Emma Malabuyo already had a taste of the Olympics when she was an alternate for Team USA in Tokyo 2020, but she wanted more. By joining the Philippine gymnastics team, she traversed a journey of ups and downs to finally make it to Paris.

In 2023, she represented the Philippines in the Asian Games, where she bagged a silver medal for the floor event at the Asian Gymnastics Games. This was the highest award for a Filipina gymnast in the AGC.

However, Malabuyo endured two heartbreaks on the way to the Olympics: (1) her team at the University of California – Los Angeles lost the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s regional competition; and (2) she failed to secure an Olympic spot at the 2024 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Doha.

Unwilling to surrender, Malabuyo gave it one more shot at FIG’s Uzbekistan leg, where she won a bronze in the individual all-around event and qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Boxing was the Philippines’ best sport at the previous Olympics, with three podium finishes in Tokyo 2020. For the Paris games, these three Olympic medallists will return to the international arena:

• Eumir Marcial – The middleweight fighter won a bronze medal in Tokyo and has revered boxer Manny Pacquiao’s blessing to compete for the country.
• Carlo Paalam – By winning his flyweight qualifying match last June, the Olympic silver medallist and former scrap metal scavenger returns to the Olympics as the Philippines’ flag bearer.
• Nesthy Petecio – Petecio will be joining Paalam as the country’s flag bearer at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Competing in the women’s featherweight division, this may be the southpaw’s last Olympic bout. 

Along with Olympic medallists, these two formidable fighters will be making their Olympic debut in the Paris Games:

• Aira Villegas – From Tacloban, Leyte, this flyweight boxer will be competing for the Philippines and for her brother and mentor Rominick, who once dreamed of joining the national boxing team.
• Hergie Bacyadan – With a background in martial arts, Bacyadan is already known as the Philippines’ first vovinam world champion. In Paris, the nonbinary athlete will be competing as a boxer in the women’s middleweight division.

John Ceniza is the first Filipino male weightlifter to go to the Olympics in eight years. The former porter and parking attendant was inspired to take up the sport by his brother Evangelito and by mentor and former Olympic weightlifter Nestor Colonia.

Prior to his Olympic debut, Ceniza made a name for himself by becoming a two-time SEA Games silver medallist and by winning a bronze medal at the 2020 Weightlifting World Cup in Rome, Italy.

In April 2024, he qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics by lifting a total of 300 kilograms at the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation World Cup in Phuket, Thailand.

Lifting a total 228 kg at the 2024 IWF World Cup, Elreen Ando bested Olympic gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz to secure a spot in the Philippine Olympic team. This will be Ando’s second time to compete in the Olympics, having joined Diaz in the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The Cebuana is already bemedalled, with a gold from the 2023 SEA Games and two silvers from the 2019 and 2021 SEA Games, respectively. In Paris, she will be competing in the women’s 59 kg division, after going down a weight class to improve her performance and odds.

Seen as the next Hidilyn Diaz, Vanessa Sarno will be competing in the women’s 71 kg weight division at the 2024 Paris Olympics.  The 20-year-old and two-time SEA Games gold medallist lifted a total 245 kg at the IWF World Cup, securing her spot in the Philippine Olympic team.

According to the Daily Tribune, “Vannessa Sarno will be entering the Paris Olympics as one of the best weightlifters in Asia.”

Sam Catantan is the first Filipino fencer to compete in the Olympics since Walter Torres in 1992. The University of the East high school alum qualified for the Olympics just 10 months after surgery for an ACL injury that had forced her to relinquish her gold medal at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia.

Apart from being in the Philippine Olympic team, Catantan is also team captain of the Pennsylvania State University’s fencing team.

Athlete Joanie Delgaco switched from volleyball to rowing and moved from Bicol to Manila at 17 to become a national athlete and help her family out of poverty.

Despite being shorter than the national team’s 5’7 height requirement, Delgaco made it to the rowing team and became a formidable rower, bagging gold, silver, and bronze medals in three different SEA Games. Her Olympic-qualifying performance saw her reach fourth place in the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Qualification Regatta in Korea.

As the first Filipina rower to compete in the Olympics, Delgaca will be taking her father on his first trip abroad.

In the year prior to qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Bianca Pagdanganan made it to the top 10 in three different golf tournaments and reached runner-up status at the 2023 Ascendant LPGA Benefiting the Volunteers of America. Three years before that, Pagdanganan was named Rookie of the Year by the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Golfing has always been a part of Pagdanganan’s life. She got into the sport as a little girl in the Philippines, accompanying her father to weekend rounds of golf. When she moved to the U.S. for university, she took the love of the game with her and eventually found her way into playing for the University of Arizona’s varsity team. It was during her time that the university won the 2018 NCAA championship for women’s golf.

This will be Pagdanganan’s second time in the Olympics following her debut in Tokyo 2020.

Dottie Ardina would have competed in Rio 2016 had it not been for the Zika virus scare. Eight years after withdrawing from the competition, Ardina is finally making her Olympic debut.

The golfer has been in the sport since she was five. At just 12 years old in 2006, she was the youngest member of the Philippine contingent to the World Amateur Team Championships.

Ardina went pro in 2013, quickly winning her first international championship at the 2014 Thailand Singha-Sat LPGA Championship. She recently finished seventh at the Dana Open in Sylvania, Ohio—just weeks away from the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Filipino-Japanese judoka Kiyomi Watanabe will be returning to the Olympics in a bid to redeem herself from her 2020 loss at the Tokyo Games, where she was the country’s flag bearer and the first Pinay judoka to compete at the Olympic level.

Watanabe currently ranks 92nd in the world. She is also a four-time SEA Games gold medallist and an Asian Games silver medallist.

Having grown up with her two Filipino parents in Toronto, Kayla Sanchez debuted in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under the Canadian flag and won the Great White North a bronze and a silver medal in swimming. However, her Filipino roots and her desire to make a difference in the Philippines convinced her to join the country’s national team two years later

“Aside from how much I’ve grown and how good everything has been in Canada, I needed to make this really difficult decision for myself and my family to take this opportunity to represent the Philippines,” Sanchez said in a 2022 statement.  “I want to inspire people that are like me to swim and get into the sport.”

A year later, the International Olympic Committee approved her change of nationality, allowing her to represent the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Filipino American Jordan Hatch came out of retirement to swim under the Philippine flag in the 2024 Paris Olympics. A former varsity swimmer for UC Berkeley, Hatch had been competing for the Philippines since 2018 before he announced his early retirement in 2021.

He is a 2019 SEA Games silver medallist and holds the Philippine national records for the 500m butterfly and 100m butterfly events.

Kabayan Remit users all over the world can go online and watch the full livestream coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics using the Smart LiveStream App. Select competitions will also be streamed on social media via Smart Sports and Puso Pilipinas.

Want to take the excitement up a notch? How about hosting a virtual watch party with your loved ones in the Philippines? And to make it even better, treat them to their favourite TV snacks. Use Kabayan Remit to transfer funds safely and ensure the goodies make it home. Let’s make the 2024 Paris Olympics an unforgettable experience for the whole family!

Kabayan Remit has forged a partnership with actress and beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez, a first for the online money transfer app that caters to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.

The only daughter of show biz heavyweights Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama, Sharmaine Ruffa Rama Gutierrez began her entertainment career as a young actress in the 1980s. She soon gained popularity as a cast member of the teen variety show That’s Entertainment and as the country’s 1992 bet for the Look of the Year modelling competition, now called Elite Model Look.

Ruffa would further cement her spot in the limelight in 1993 after clinching the Binibining Pilipinas-World title at just 18 years old. She would go on to be crowned second runner-up at the Miss World beauty pageant in Sun City, South Africa that same year.

Following her beauty pageant victories, Ruffa enjoyed a prolific decade in the local film industry as a ’90s “Regal Baby,” acting in a series of movies created by the hit-making production company Regal Films. From 1993 to 1994, she appeared in more than a dozen films in various genres that included comedy, horror, action, and drama.

Among her projects were stories centred on women facing almost insurmountable odds, such as Maricris Sioson: Japayuki (1993), a social commentary on the working conditions of female OFWs working in Japan at that time; and Bakit Pa Kita Minahal (1994), a tale of two sisters torn by family conflict and reunited by their love for each other.

Ruffa would continue acting in the Philippines until 1999, when she moved to the U.S. to work as a host and reporter with Century Productions. On contract with the production company for two years, Ruffa travelled all over the world to cover high-profile events, like the Cannes International Film Festival.

Ruffa would eventually marry and move to Istanbul to start a family in 2003. Unfortunately, her marriage didn’t last and she returned to the Philippines with her two beautiful daughters four years later.

Ruffa Gutierrez’s return to the Philippines was met with controversy, with the media of 2007 covering every aspect of her marriage and subsequent separation in both print and television. Some had even doubted her story.

Despite these challenges, Ruffa persisted. She reignited her acting career, appearing in both television series and films. She returned to hosting, joining the entertainment talk show The Buzz from 2007 then a rival show called Paparazzi in 2010. And in 2014, she acted both on and off screen as an executive producer and talent for It Takes Gutz to be a Gutierrez, her family’s reality show with the international entertainment brand E!.

Almost two decades since her comeback, Ruffa continues to appear on screens and billboards around the country.

And outside of show biz, she has ventured into pursuing some dreams she had long set aside.

Busy with the demands of her show biz career and motherhood, Ruffa put her plans to go to college on hold. But she has always wanted to learn.

In 2013, she successfully applied to study International Political Economy at the prestigious King’s College London Summer School. And eight years later, she began her college education in earnest by entering the Communication Arts program at Philippine Women’s University.

“After 34 years of working in the entertainment industry, I have chosen to further my education,” she said in a 2021 post on the social media platform Instagram. “Not only do I want to fulfil a long-held dream and take control of the next chapter of my life, I want to set a good example for my children.”

She earned her bachelor’s degree in 2022 and is now pursuing a master’s degree in communication from the same institution.

Balancing education with business, Ruffa also ventured into business. She launched her lifestyle brand Gutz and Glow in 2022 with a line of beauty products for all ages and genders.

“As an adage says, hope springs eternal,” said Ruffa in a post announcing her educational milestones in 2023. “If I can do it, so can you. Aim high! Onwards and upwards!”

Like Ruffa Gutierrez, it’s never too late for you to invest in your future, one that you can share with the people you love.

For OFWs, working toward that future entails sacrifice and time away from home. That’s why when the funds come in, it’s important to make every penny count.

With Kabayan Remit’s competitive exchange rates and affordable transaction fees, the money you send to the Philippines goes a long way. 

All you need to do is download our secure money transfer app, and follow these three easy steps:

1. Open a free account using our mobile app.
2. Type in your loved one’s bank, e-wallet, or cash collection details.
3. Start remitting funds.

With our bank-level data encryption, you can rest assured knowing that the funds you’ve worked so hard for safely reach your loved one’s accounts in major banks, e-wallets, and cash collection sites in the Philippines, including:

• Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
• Banco de Oro (BDO)
• Metrobank 
• M Lhuillier
• Palawan Pawnshop
• GCash
• Maya

What’s more: Your first remittance is free of charge.

As an added feature, we’ve made it possible for you to take small steps toward a more secure life for you and your family. From the comfort of your own phone, you can log in to our app and:

• Pay your SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions
• Invest in real estate
• Pay for your children’s tuition
• Invest in insurance

To learn more about Kabayan Remit and how we can help you send more love to the Philippines, click here.