Overseas Filipinos to be Tapped to Activate CFO Intervention Programs A vast population of Overseas Filipinos (OFs) will be tapped to put into action 10 intervention programs being instituted by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) through the 2nd Global Summit of Filipinos in the Diaspora on February 25-27, 2013 in Manila. After almost four decades of sustained and large‐scale migration, the Philippines has emerged as one of the major migrant‐sending countries in the world. The CFO 2011 Stock Estimate of Overseas Filipinos reports that about 10.46 million Filipinos residing in 210 countries comprise the estimated 214 million international migrants all over the world (based on recent a recent report from the 2010 International Organization for Migration). Further distilled, 47 percent, or 4.86 million are the OFs. These Overseas Filipinos will spearhead implementation of the CFO programs. To actively engage OFs in the socio-cultural and economic development of the country, the CFO has adopted Diaspora to Development (D2D) as its flagship program that will institutionalize and maximize their involvement in the country’s development through 10 major areas of interventions, namely: Alay Dunong or transfer of skills and technology; Arts and Culture Exchange; Balik-Turo or educational exchange; Business Advisory Circle or business linkaging and mentoring; Diaspora Investments; Global Legal Assistance; Lingkod sa Kapwa Filipino or Diaspora Philanthropy; Medical Mission Coordination; Tourism Initiatives; and Return and Reintegration. DDB Group Philippines, one of the largest and multi-awarded companies in Philippine advertising headed by ad industry stalwart Gil Chua, has agreed to a major sponsorship of the event in line with its corporate social responsibility program. “Being part of an international company, DDB realizes how important it is to be ahead of the curve and have access to the latest communication trends, technology, and tools to effectively spread our messages. If, through these programs, CFO can harness what Overseas Filipinos have learned; what these trends are, and have the Motherland put them to good use, then our overseas friends would truly have made an impact in the lives of local compatriots,” said Chua, DDB Group Philippines President and CEO. “As a communications company, we want to do our part as an effective conduit for spreading these learnings throughout the country.” For the coming Global Summit, Chua has mobilized its arsenal of services in integrated marketing and communications, advertising, customer relationship management, strategic media planning, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and specialty communications.
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