PRESS RELEASE
WDC-8-2021
4 March 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – “While the Philippine government is ready with all its reintegration programs for all our overseas Filipinos and returning workers, the pandemic has provided an opportunity to start a movement that acknowledges and taps the resources of non-governmental organizations, civil society, and the overseas Filipino workers themselves, inspired by the Filipino tradition of bayanihan. This movement, dubbed as Balikabayanihan, is an invitation from one Filipino to another in terms to acquire new skills, if not to enrich and explore business opportunities, and to tap the right agencies of government,” Philippine Labor Attaché Angela Librado-Trinidad said in a webinar held on 18 February 2021.
The webinar was conducted by the Philippine Embassy in the United States, through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO-WDC), in partnership with the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce in Metro Washington DC (PACC-DC), to explore potential business and investment opportunities for overseas Filipinos.
Ms. Gigi Morris, School Director of MOCA Family Farm Learning Center, stressed that the success of a family farm is not based on the size of the farm but on how the land and its inherent resources are optimized. “Trainings such as those provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) and other training centers are important to start and manage your farm, so we must attend and participate in these trainings,” Morris said.
Congressman Rico Geron, who also acts as CEO of Soro-Soro Ibaba Development Cooperative, emphasized that investing in cooperatives helps their savings to grow and also creates job opportunities for their local communities. Investment in a cooperative contributes to local economic development through its businesses and investments.Online business opportunities were presented by Mr. Adjo Gonzalez, Business Development Specialist of AHG Direct Products and Services. He talked about the importance of thinking through a business idea that matches one’s skills and strengths.