SCHEDULE

The international conference was a combination of speeches,  presentations, caucuses, panel discussions, workshops and open forum both  at the level of agencies (individuals, government, NGOs, private sector) working with migrants and OFWs and at the level of international and national agencies.  The main presentations of various speakers were on:

·         Reintegration of Overseas Filipinos

·         The Philippine Seafaring Industry

·         OFW Coops and Migrant Economic Concerns

·         Information and Communications Technology

·         Economic Program in the Empowerment Policy for Overseas Filipinos

·         Building Partnerships between OFWs and Philippine Communities

·         Mobilizing Overseas Filipino Resources for Micro finance and Countryside Development

·         Overseas Filipinos and Cooperative Linkages

Two major workshops were conducted during the conference.  The first was focused on surfacing problems and issues of various organizations involved in assisting Overseas Filipinos (OFs).  The second workshop was focused on gathering policy recommendations and other actions.  The various talks and presentations were meant to provide the participants with helpful insights and ideas needed for the second workshop.  The major workshops were as follows:

Workshop 1: Identifying Problems and Issues

Workshop 2: Recommendations

The three-day schedule was followed accordingly except for some additions in Day 2.  It was slightly modified to accommodate OWWA Administrator Soriano’s presentation.  (See Annex 2 for the Schedule and the Revised Schedule for Day 2)

In between the official conference schedule, a lot of networking and linkaging among different groups ensued.  The workshops also allowed for  the different participants to substantially discuss the nature and thrusts of their respective organizations and how their programs can link up with Overseas Filipinos to benefit the local communities in the country.

One of the highlights of the conference was the two-day study tour of migrant assisted community projects, immediately following the conference(April 13-14) that was attended by key conference organizers and members of Overseas Filipino organizations .    The study tour brought the group to projects of local non-government organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) with the aim that the exposure could  help them crystallize their   ideas on how OF groups could  become potential  development partners of  local communities.  The areas they visited included the municipalities of Digos, Matanao and Bansalan in Davao del Sur and Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte.

Finally, the conference was also able to form a delegation that met with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Malacañang on April 18, 2002.  The delegation presented to the president the major agreements of the conference. A summary of the meeting with the President appears in the last part of this report. (See Annex 3 for List of Delegates)