Interview with Successful Filipinos in Dubai 11/29/2023

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
November 29, 2023
On the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Filipino Community in Dubai continues to represent the best of the Philippines in the Arab nation as various stories of success remain an inspiration to many Filipinos worldwide.
Ms. Myla Bijasa is a Filipina business owner based in Dubai for 17 years. She conceptualized and built her own restaurant called ‘Seafood Paluto’ through determination and perseverance.
As an active member of the Philippine Business Council, a group of entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), she is always passionate about her endeavors and believes that success requires human compassion and value of relationship with other people, more than the profit.
“Positive thinker and siguro diligent sa lahat ng gawain. So masipag talaga dapat kasi as a business owner, kailangan hindi lang talino but talagang kailangan masipag sa lahat ng bagay. And we give our heart to it and passion to it sa lahat ng ginagawa natin,” she stresses.
Meanwhile, Ms. Malou Prado is proud of the fact that she started as a waiter, cleaner and helper when she first arrived in Dubai in 2005. Through constant hard work, she is now the President of her own travel agency called ‘MPQ Travel and Tourism', which is currently operating in three (3) countries.
Last year, Ms. Prado is one of the awardees of Go Negosyo’s KABAYAN 2022 for her successful story and for serving as an inspiration to her fellow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“Inspiration 'yun kasi ipinakita ko sa mga OFW na hindi lang tayong mga Pilipino as a worker, we can be modern, maging entrepreneur sa mga-not only siyempre, akala nila, ang Pilipino, gano'n lang. Pero we can fight as entrepreneur, winner na maging negosyante sa ibang bansa," she conveys.
Lastly, Mr. John Paul Faderogao is a Filipino visual artist who is living in Dubai for nine (9) years. As an artist with exceptional skills in creating illustrative art such as landscapes and portraits, his works were noticed by authorities from Abu Dhabi when he commissioned a painting of an Emirati boy surrounded by UAE leaders.
As result of this recognition, he was granted with a ten (10)-year cultural golden visa, which is given to individuals who contribute to enriching the arts and culture sector of UAE.
According to recent data from the Philippine Embassy to the UAE, there are almost 1 million Filipinos currently living and working in the Arab nation. They are present in various industries such as service and hospitality, food, engineering and architecture, healthcare and creatives, among others.
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