About 500 families participated in the free Internet lessons provided by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Cagayan de Oro City.

One of the beneficiaries of the free Internet lessons was Lea Arciete. Arcieta regularly communicates with her husband using the telephone. Arciete’s husband has been working as a seaman in Australia for 14 years now.

She decided to attend the lessons to learn more about the use of the new technology to cut down on communication expenses.

“Mas preferred ko ang Internet kasi mas mura at maka-see to see pa kami,” Arciete said.

OWWA 10 Regional Director Petrona Bergado said the Internet is a much faster and cheaper means of communication that links families and overseas Filipinos.

“Aside from the fact na mabilis, mas mura pa siya at immediate ang komunikasyon,” Bergado said.

OWWA-10 Information Technology trainer Angelica Santiago said that through Internet access, families can save on phone bills and have the option to talk to their loved ones overseas with the use of video chat.

Aside from the internet lesson, OWWA-10 also offers free Web design, word processing, spreadsheet and database fundamental lessons. Report from Rod Bolivar, ABS-CBN Regional Network News Bureau, Cagayan de Oro City