DMW-7 SPIMS beneficiary Melinda Godinez-Panerio conducts a class at Bangkal National High School. (Photo courtesy of Melinda Godinez-Panerio via PIA7)
Former OFW Returns Home, Finds Stability Through DMW Teaching Program
Cebu, Philippines | After years of working abroad to support her family, former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Melinda Godinez-Panerio has found a renewed sense of purpose back home—this time inside the classroom—through a reintegration initiative of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Godinez-Panerio, 46, is one of the beneficiaries of Sa Pinas Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir (SPIMS), a flagship DMW program that helps licensed Filipino teachers who worked overseas return to the Philippines and secure stable teaching careers. Before coming home, she worked as a professional singer in Malaysia and Singapore, moving from one contract to another to provide for her children.
“I told myself, I know I can’t be a singer forever. Singing might be my bread and butter, but I finished a degree in education. I knew I could do more,” she said.
Today, Godinez-Panerio teaches Grade 7 students at Bangkal National High School, where she now inspires learners not through music, but through lessons in language, discipline, and life experience.
Choosing Teaching After Life Abroad
Godinez-Panerio joined the SPIMS program in 2016 after learning about it online shortly after returning to the Philippines.
“When I came back to the Philippines, I saw information about the program through email. Right then, I decided to give my degree a chance,” she said.
The career shift was not without challenges. Although she earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Cebu, she had spent several years away from the classroom while performing in resorts and entertainment venues overseas.
“I was already in my 30s. It wasn’t easy to shift careers, but I kept believing there was a bigger purpose for me,” she said.
That decision has since proven worthwhile. Nearly a decade later, Godinez-Panerio continues to build a long-term teaching career while pursuing advanced professional development.
Lifelong Learning and Career Growth
Committed to continuous improvement, Godinez-Panerio has earned multiple graduate degrees, including a Doctor of Education in Development Education. She also completed master’s degrees in educational administration and supervision, as well as in English teaching, in addition to a specialization in inclusive education.
“I want to keep improving, I want to enhance my professional growth, and I want to study more and do more research,” she said.
She considers herself “living proof” that government-led reintegration programs can succeed when paired with determination and opportunity.
“The DMW really helps us a lot. The financial assistance and the teaching kits have an impact, even if I can provide for myself, the support from the government is inspiring,” she said.
Stability at Home and Support for Families
Through a stable teaching position, Godinez-Panerio has been able to stay close to her children, who are now in school and college. In 2017, she also opened a small internet café and beauty salon to further support her family’s financial needs.
For fellow OFWs—especially licensed teachers who are still working abroad—she offers a message of encouragement and hope.
“Trust the efforts being made for OFWs, I never expected I would be one of the blessed beneficiaries of this program. But here I am,” she said.
Supporting OFWs Through SPIMS
Implemented by the National Reintegration Center for OFWs under the DMW, SPIMS assists Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) passers in transitioning into teaching positions across the Philippines. The program allows returning OFWs to rebuild their careers locally while remaining with their families.
Local government units and partner agencies coordinate with the Department of Education to recruit and deploy qualified applicants.
“Once beneficiaries officially begin teaching, they receive teaching kits from the DMW to support their classroom needs,” said DMW-7 Supervising Labor and Employment Officer Luchel Senarlo Taniza.
In Central Visayas alone, the DMW distributed teaching kits worth ₱3.26 million to 163 beneficiaries last year, with each teacher receiving assistance valued at ₱20,000.
Through SPIMS, what began as a reintegration initiative has become, for teachers like Godinez-Panerio, a pathway not only back home but toward long-term professional growth, stability, and renewed purpose.
Source: PIA
