Even at a young age, Rustico dela Fuente, known to many as Resty dela Fuente, already knew that he was destined to work for the benefit of many people.

Born on 9 October 1956, Resty is the ninth child of Carmen dela Fuente, a full-time homemaker, and Virgilio, a government employee-turned-farmer.

Growing up, Resty said, he was "very sickly," which made it difficult for him to attend classes more than twice a week. He performed well in school despite his physical limitations.

To help his aging parents finance his tertiary education (AB Economics) at Far Eastern University, Resty availed of the school's academic and athletic scholarship by being a varsity table tennis player.

He later received a stipend from the government's Study Now, Pay Later program after seizing the chance to enroll in the exchange student program in Canada.

Resty worked as a volunteer in community organizing and social services in his hometown — San Rafael, Bulacan — for two years, assisting farmers and young people, upon returning from an eight-month program in Canada.

After earning his degree, he found himself working at Banco Filipino and later accepted a supervisory position in the now-defunct Overseas Employment Development Board.

He admitted that his decision to work in the OEDB changed his life forever.

Life-threatening experience

His stint in the OEDB was, however, short-lived after he transferred to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, formerly known as the Welfare and Training Fund for Overseas Workers, in 1982.

After working in the human resource department of the Welfare and Training Fund for Overseas Workers for five years, Resty said he was appointed as the first director for OWWA's overseas operations.

In his first few years as a director for OWWA's overseas operations, he became part of creating Filipino Workers Social Centers abroad, a "first of its kind" for many labor-sending countries such as the Philippines.

"It was the predecessor of the MWO (Migrant Workers Office) or POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Office). It was a trailblazing experience," Resty said. "No labor-sending country was able to do that. However, the OWWA established at least 18 offices in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. As long as there is a big concentration of Filipino workers, we will establish an office."

Resty was sent to assist overseas Filipino workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during the height of the Gulf War in 1991.

He recalled many sleepless nights during his three-month stay on the border of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to help in the repatriation of OFWs.

"It was the 13th of January; I cannot forget the date because our convoy going to the eastern province of Saudi was very quiet. When we reached our destination, we gathered the boys, both Christians and Muslims, and then we prayed," he narrated.

"After that, our fear is gone," he added. "When you really surrender everything to Him, you no longer need to worry."

Resty's team was able to provide counseling to almost 100,000 Filipino migrant workers.

Career highlights

After serving as a director for OWWA's overseas operations for 10 years, Resty was tapped to be the country's labor attachè in Doha, Qatar by then-Labor and Employment Secretary Nieves Confesor.

He admitted that he accepted the offer even if it meant taking a break from law school — his dream post-graduate course.

Through his efforts, the Philippines was able to close a bilateral labor agreement with Qatar in 1997 — the country's first-ever labor agreement with the Middle Eastern country.

Under the bilateral labor agreement, the government of Qatar finally recognized the need to equally protect the welfare of Filipino migrant workers.

The Philippine-Qatar Joint Committee Meeting was also created which aims to advance the welfare of OFWs in Qatar, which became the model type of memorandum of understanding with other countries.

After successfully closing the first Philippine-Qatar bilateral labor agreement, Resty was tapped to be labor attaché, this time in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He continued to showcase his expertise in negotiation by successfully achieving the first bilateral labor agreement between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he served as labor attaché for seven years.

After a two-year hiatus as labor attachè, Resty returned to be the country's labor attaché in Riyadh for three more years.

Resty also served as labor attachè in several countries such as Kuwait and Taiwan, and became a director for the government's reintegration program for returning overseas Filipino workers.

He considers the recognition given by the government for the hard work of overseas Filipino workers as his greatest accomplishment in life and career.

"We worked for a very long time for OFWs to be recognized as a sector. I believe that through the years, OFWs are now a sector — OFWs and their families," he said.

"There are programs that are exclusive to them. All the elements of a vibrant sector are now present for our migrant workers," he added.

Having devoted nearly four decades to enhancing the welfare and progress of Filipino migrant workers, Resty chose to shift his focus toward the well-being of his own family.

He now finds joy in simple pleasures, such as chauffeuring for his wife Gloria, and doing the grocery shopping.