ROME, Italy — For many overseas Filipino workers, caring for others begins inside a home.
But for 35 OFWs in Rome, that journey has taken a powerful new turn.
On Sunday, December 21, they proudly completed a basic care skills training for pre-hospital caregivers under the I Paramedici training program — a milestone that brings them closer to better jobs and a more secure future.
Most of the participants are household helpers.
This time, however, they trained not just with experience — but with proper skills, knowledge, and certification.
The course was intense and hands-on.
Participants learned patient care techniques, elderly health assistance, emergency response, life support, first aid, injection administration, defibrillation, and even firefighting.
Each lesson was designed to do one thing:
turn everyday care into professional competence.
The program was led by Dindo Malanyaon, founder and president of I Paramedici and a recipient of the 2018 Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas.
He was joined by Dott.ssa Pia Dambra, a medical doctor and surgeon who served as the scientific director and regional trainer.
For Malanyaon, the mission has always been clear.
In the past 16 years, I Paramedici has produced nearly 1,000 graduates.
Many of them have moved on from household work to become professional health workers — now employed in elderly homes, care facilities, and hospitals not only in Italy, but also in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The latest graduates belong to Batch 36 and Batch 37, trained to handle patients properly and respond calmly during emergencies — moments when skill can mean the difference between fear and safety.
For graduate Progie Labides Ruiz, the training changed everything.
“For many years, while caring for my employer in Rome, I relied on my own strategies and YouTube tutorials,” he shared.
“Through I Paramedici, I was able to correct and improve how I provide care.”
The impact was immediate.
“After earning this certificate, I even received a salary increase,” Ruiz said.
More than skills, the training gave him hope.
He believes it’s never too late to start again — and that one certificate, earned through sacrifice and determination, can unlock a more stable and rewarding livelihood.
The timing couldn’t be better.
Italy’s caregiving sector continues to grow as the population ages.
A 2024 report from INPS showed over 817,000 registered domestic workers in the country. More than 50 percent — around 413,000 — are caregivers providing direct assistance to the elderly.
Today, over 155,000 Filipinos legally reside in Italy, many working in domestic and caregiving roles, especially in cities like Rome and Milan.
For these newly certified OFWs, the message is clear.
They are no longer just helpers.
They are trained caregivers.
And with that, they carry not only skills — but renewed dignity, confidence, and hope for the future.
