Cleaning is one of the most important industries in the world. Cleaners work day, night and weekends to keep working environments clean, safe and hygienic. Cleaners may often be out of sight but they should never be out of mind.
Omar Ladao Pareñas moved to Ireland on August 2005. He has been employed as a Janitor at Collins Square Management Ltd since he arrived. A proud Davaoeño, Omar has been cleaning apartment buildings and residential homes in Dublin 7 & Dublin 12 for the past 15 years.
“The coronavirus is a wake up call. It is a reminder to come back to the Lord and strengthen our faith,” said Omar. Because of COVID, he has been more meticulous in his job by cleaning everything many times more. He jokingly added that if only he can also spray and clean each person he meets he would!
Omar is also a business owner. He owns Bayan Ko, a Balikbayan Box Service that also delivers rice, longganisa, corned beef, chicharon, and other Philippine favourites to the homes of fellow kababayans. He is also a member of Marilag Guardians, a group that has kept the the Philippine Embassy Outreach Missions in Dublin safe and secure for the past five years by providing Security Marshalls in the outreach parking and venue.
We appreciate Omar and all the other cleaners who continue to work during the coronavirus crisis, day and night, weekends and holidays, to keep our working and living environments clean and hygienic. Clean environments contribute significantly to the overall health and well-being of everyone in our communities and cities nationwide, and help generate a positive image for individual businesses. Cleaners like Omar play a major role these days in keeping homes and buildings virus-free.
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If you know of any Filipino in Ireland who are working beyond the call of duty to support the Irish community, please let us know. Thank you.
