ABS-CBN and TFC executives Ramon “Bong” Osorio and Kai V. Rodriguez share media’s role in harnessing the capabilities of OFs and inspiring them to be part of nation-building

February 26, 2016 (Dubai, Middle East) – With over a 2.5 million population in the Middle East and Africa and a combined land deployment of 907,781 in 2014 according to Philippine Overseas Employment Agency, the overseas Filipinos (OF) in the two regions continue to be a force to reckon with despite the issues that currently beset the labor force in the face of the oil crisis in the Middle East.

Recognizing the huge populace of Filipinos in Middle East and Africa and how their combined numbers can impact Philippine development from economic to socio-political and other aspects, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and co-convenor Middle East and African Network of Filipino Diaspora (MENFID) are holding the first “Regional Summit of Filipinos in the Middle East and Africa” from today, February 26 to 27 at the Dessert Palm Hotel in Dubai.

With the theme “Engaging Overseas Filipinos in the Philippines Development,” CFO is tapping its public and private sector partners in order to strengthen the OF sector and enable them to make more significant contributions. ABS-CBN (The Filipino Channel), a staunch partner of the CFO since the first Global Summit for Filipinos in the Diaspora in Manila in 2011, joins CFO, MEANFID and industry leaders, global visionaries and Filipino migrants for the two-day summit.

ABS-CBN executives Ramon “Bong” Osorio and Kai V. Rodriguez will define how ABS-CBN and international arm The Filipino Channel’s service points hope to enable and then to inspire our kababayans beyond information and entertainment, as they play a more crucial role in Philippine progress.

ABS-CBN Middle East, Europe and Africa Managing Director Kai V. Rodriguez, as an OF herself, is a testament as to how ABS-CBN’s service has gone beyond the distribution of homegrown content outside the Philippines into bringing Filipino content to the mainstream international scene, while showcasing Filipino talent to a world audience.

TFC, as a true partner in the journey of OFs, has also been playing a vital role in involving Filipino communities in various engagements that hope to impact their lives in a sustainable way.

One of these is ABS-CBN’s election campaign “Ipanalo Ang Pamilyang Pilipino (Let the Filipino Family Win). Beyond being a season material, the SID highlights how the participation in the 2016 elections will score a victory for the Filipino family as they choose the country’s next leaders. ABS-CBN’s election campaign station ID’s recording will have its community premiere in the event.

Meantime, Osorio will share how OFs in both regions can build their capacity, and those of their families and their communities in the context of brand-building. Osorio will talk about how image is important not only to enable OFs to keep up in the global workplace but also to equip Filipinos to be of service to their fellowmen as well.

Discussions will include an assessment on the current landscape (both private sector efforts and public policies) in the two regions, the psycho-social challenges of migration investment, business and livelihood opportunities; and return and reintegration of overseas Filipinos.

Esteemed guests include Ambassador of the Embassy of the Philippines to Abu Dhabi Constancio Vingno Jr., Ambassador of the Embassy of the Philippines to Doha, Qatar Wilfredo Santos; Ambassador of the Embassy of the Philippines to Manama, Bahrain Alfonso Ver; and Ambassador of the Embassy of the Philippines to Tel Aviv, Israel Nathaniel Imperial from the public sector and European Network of Filipinos in the Diaspora’s (ENFID) Gene Alcantara US Pinoys for Good Governance’s Atty. Loida Nicolas Lewis.

The event headed by CFO Chairperson Secretary Imelda Nicolas, MEANFID officers Chairperson Fidel Escurel and 2015 Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Awardee Atty. Barney Almazar, will be hosted by Lalaine Benitez and moderated by Mike Motalban.

At the end of the Regional Summit, CFO, MEANFID and the multi-sectoral partners also hope to finalize the MEANFID’s structure and ratify the group’s constitution and by-laws as well.

But more than cementing its structural framework, the Regional Summit for Filipinos in the Middle East and Africa hopes to involve OFs for a more sustainable development track towards a more progressive Philippines.

For tickets to the Regional Summit for Filipinos in the Middle East and Africa visit cfo.gov.ph
For Filipinos in nearby cities and in Europe, the summit proceedings can be seen via livestream on February 27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at emea.kapamilya.com