Staying true to its promise to spread fun and happiness to Filipinos across the globe, ABS-CBN's noontime show Happy Yipee Yehey welcomed 10 Filipino repatriates from Libya on Friday.They were invited to play a game titled Kitang-kits with the show's hosts, Kapamilya stars Randy Santiago, Mariel Rodriguez, John Estrada and Toni Gonzaga.
"Kasi sila lang talaga yung nagbakasakali na sumali. 'Yung iba kasi pagod na rin sila at hindi pa nakakauwi sa kanilang pamilya," said Regie dela Cruz, the show's contestant coordinator.
In the end, 42-year-old Ismael Navarro from Cotobato City won the jackpot round of Kitang-kits. He brought home P40,000 and a "kabuhayan showcase" worth P10,000.
The piping foreman, who has worked in Libya for almost 9 years, said he feels relieved now that he is back in the Philippines.
"Medyo maluwag-luwag naman at nandito na sa ating bansa," he said.
Navarro also thanked the Overseas Workers' Welfare Association (OWWA) for trying its best to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) make their way back home. He expressed sadness, however, that there are still Filipinos stuck in Libya because they were abandoned by their agencies.
"Ang mga kababayan natin hindi iniintindi sa ibang agency. Kaya 'yung ibang agency ay kinupkop sila. Ang kumpanya namin kinupkop sila at dinala sa Malta," Navarro said.
The 9 others who didn't win in the Kitang-kits contest received P11,000 cash.
Meanwhile, the 10 Filipino repatriates will share $300 given by concerned subscribers of ABS-CBN's TFC (The Filipino Channel) in the United States.
