CAREER LEVEL UP THROUGH BASIC SKILLS TRAINING
In the bustling kitchen of United International Maritime Training and Assessment Center Inc. (UIMTAC), refugees and asylum seekers are engaged in a variety of tasks: some are baking, others are cooking meals, mixing drinks, or setting up rooms for their basic skills training that day. UIMTAC is a TESDA accredited training institute in Pasay, Metro Manila. Philippine Arab Cooperation Council Inc (PACCI) organized different basic skills training in UIMTAC as part of their project in helping refugees and asylum seekers acquire new skills, opening doors to future opportunities in these fields. After his Bread and Pastry class, Casper (not his real name), guided the interviewer to a quiet, air-conditioned room in the training center with the ease of someone well-acquainted with the space. Casper’s cheerful and considerate nature shone through as he offered refreshments and even provided his own cellphone stand so that the interviewer would be comfortable.
After his Bread and Pastry class, Casper (not his real name), guided the interviewer to a quiet, air-conditioned room in the training center with the ease of someone well-acquainted with the space. Casper’s cheerful and considerate nature shone through as he offered refreshments and even provided his own cellphone stand so that the interviewer would be comfortable.
If you want to know more about Casper and be updated with hisjourney in the Philippines, you can check out his TikTok account @casperthefriendlyghost and his YouTube handle is @casperkabri.
INTERVIEW
Hi, Please introduce yourself.
Hi, My name is Casper. I am from Syria.
How many years have you been here in the Philippines?
I’ve been here for nine years.
Do you understand Filipino now?
Shempre naman! (Of course!)
What’s your status now?
I'm a refugee.
So you work at the moment is?
I’m a freelance chef, a consultant, and a freelance actor.
Actor? Really?
Yes, I am. Yes, in a TV. In TV, since I came to this country.
What shows?
Everything. All shows, GMA, ABS-CBN, movies, Netflix, HBO, and Vivamax. Actually, I also worked before in Grand Hyatt Hotel as a Chef de Partie.
That was before PACCI?
That’s in 2020, yeah, oh sorry 2023, yeah.
Casper had appeared in many local movies and shows such as Wish Ko Lang (Christmas Wish episode), the movie: Goyo and even in TV commercial for Isuzu mu-X 2023 vehicle. He shared how his acting career started as the interview continued.
Why were you drawn to show business in the Philippines?
The time I arrived in the Philippines, I found out that I can’t find regular work. So as acting is my part time before since 2005,I decided to continue and it became my income to survive.
How did you get casted?
Through Facebook, then through friends.
Heard that you have TikTok and YouTube account, what is its usual content?
Speaking Tagalog, in a funny way.
If you don’t mind, Casper, why did you leave your country?
It’s a war. Yeah, my country has a war, but actually it’s not the reason. I am a chef as I told you. So I get work abroad. So since before, even the war, I’m out of my country. But the problem is, once the (war) country happened, that’s the time I cannot go back until now.
After Casper shared some personal information, the interview continued with a discussion about his involvement with PACCI.
Can you tell us how did you learn about PACCI?
Actually, I’ve been a refugee since 2016. And I was actually struggling before. And just state like refugee nothing else. Then our brother, Mr. Rafea El-Hawi. He’s the one introduced me to PACCI. And the time that they start to have trainings, that’s the time he mentioned that to me. And actually, he chose me to be in that classes.
Can you recall what classes you took under PACCI?
I’ve taken the first course was a Filipino language held at the Resource Center Hub. The second one was Business English course in Philippine Normal University, Manila. And then now we are getting our Skills training in Bread and Pastry.
Do you think those trainings/classes beneficial to you?
Exactly, especially this. Especially for the first course we got the Tagalog. We learned the basic, which is of course I speak Tagalog but not the basic Tagalog which is I learned from them. English also we got like, there is a lot of things which is even I speak English but there is a lot of things I’ve learned there actually. It’s really worth it. Now we are in Skills training, which is I choose. I’m a chef by the way; I’m an international Mediterranean chef. But here when they get the course and they give us choices so I choose Bread and Pastry because I will add it for my skill. And this is will give me a big level up.
So for the Filipino language, you can converse now in Tagalog?
Actually, it’s for my daily living. I have no problem at all. But only I speak and I understand. But writing, I’m sorry! It’s mahirap!
Was there any significant change in your life because of the trainings?
Well, actually, it will start now after Skills training because I’m learning something like... It’s give me level up for my career as a chef, which is you know chef should know everything.
If we’re going to do another project with PACCI again, do you have any suggestions or recommendations…based on the past trainings that you’ve experienced?
Well, actually, there are suggestions. When they have a new training, it’s awesome for everyone especially if it has choices. So, there are some people, maybe they are not interested in one. Maybe they can just..like now Skills training. We have housekeeping, we have bartender, we have Bread and Pastry, we have Cookery. Of course, not everyone likes one. So, people a lot choose different. One of them, me, if they put only Cookery, I won’t join because I’m already chef. So, what I’m gonna learn, gonna teach. So, there is Bread and Pastry, I choose it.
At the later part of the interview, a more serious Casper expressed his sincere gratitude to PACCI and partner organizations. Encouraging also his fellow refugees and asylum seekers to participate in future project of PACCI.
Message to PACCI:
First of all, congratulations guys. Keep it up. It’s an awesome job. I really, from my heart, I like it. And I wish you all the best, God bless you all, because you’re doing a good job for those people who’s trying to live in and trying to find their ways to success in their life. Thank you very much for you and God bless.
Mr. Casper, how do you see PACCI five years from now?
It will be very success. It will be famous. Yeah. It will be famous. It will be like number one for refugees here in the Philippines. That’s how I can see it really. Even the treatment of these people who handle PACCI, it’s very, very nice.
Message to VOICE:
Thank you very much. We really appreciate your hard work for us. It’s very, very humanity, actually. For these people who’s left their country and come over to find another country and another family. For me, PACCI is family.
And then lastly, the message to your fellow rightsholders in the Philippines:
Guys never ever hesitate to go to PACCI or any invitation from them, it will help you absolutely, promise you. If you attend trainings, if you accept their invitation, it’s worth it. It’s not wasting of time it’s really give you a career. Go ahead! Don’t hesitate to look for your career. Then, totally, it’s totally like a family. They will take care of you well and you will be part of them. Thank you very much.