The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines took part as one of the resource persons and stakeholders in the recently concluded "Global Forum on Remittances and Development" conducted last July 16-22 in Milan, Italy.
The Global Forum aims to raise international awareness, promote dialogue, stimulate partnerships, and create long-lasting synergies among public and private sectors, and civil society actors involved in Migration and Development issues. The organizers, headed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), intended the forum to serve as a platform wherein participants can share lessons learned and best practices, and have the opportunity to discuss global remittance-related issues, as well as, find solutions to maximize the development impact of global remittances.
A special series of panel discussions tackling the theme “Engaging Overseas Filipinos in Rural Development" had been conducted on the fourth day of the forum, July 19. ULAP Executive Director Czarina Medina-Guce, led the first panel discussion as a moderator on the topic "Linking Remittances with Local Economic Development." She was joined by distinguished group of panelists which include Sen. Ralph Recto (Representative to Philippine Senate), Cong. Rico Geron (AGAP Partylist) and Dr. Luis Banua Regional (Director, National Economic Development Authority, Region 4A). Other guest panelists at the forum include Hon. Vilma Santos-Recto (Governor, Province of Batangas), Ms. Aileen C. Peñas (Deputy Director, Atikha), Ms. Rosalie Bajade Cuballes (Chairperson, ACFIL Torino Italy, Coordinator Pinoy WISE- Italy), Ms. Vivien Napenas (Chairperson Pinoy WISE– UAE), Ms. Leila Rispens Noel (Founder and Board Member, Wimler Foundation, Hong Kong), and Mr. Juan Villena Jr. (Chairperson Pinoy WISE Qatar).
The panelists shared current initiatives on Migration and Development in the Philippines, and how these initiatives gradually improve the lives of Filipino migrants, their families, and local communities.
PinoyWISE Market Place Events also took place from June 20-22 which showcases the various agri-business and investment opportunities in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Tarlac, Mindoro, and Bohol catered to Filipino migrants and their families. Overall, the event enabled stakeholders from public and private sectors, civil society, and development community to engage and identify opportunities for collaboration, as well as, to disseminate the latest trends and best practices related to Overseas Filipino remittances, and their potential to contribute to rural development in the Philippines.
The Global Forum and PinoyWISE Market Place events are part of the on-going project of ULAP entitled “Scaling up Initiatives in Mobilizing Migrant Resources towards Agriculture Development in the Philippines” in partnership with Atikha with the grant support from IFAD. ULAP serves as the prime advocacy partner of the project which engages at least 7 pilot provincial sites and currently being until December 2016.
