PERSONAL JOURNEY

If someone told me as a young kid that I would be living my dream job one day and traveling to the Philippines for work, I never would have believed it. Joining ICMA is one of the best decisions I have ever made, and the organization has played a significant role in my career journey as a local government professional. Little did I expect that serving on ICMA’s International Committee would take me back to my country of birth and help me find new ways to contribute to the profession.

My family experienced our “Coming to America” moment when I was three years old. My mother was a nurse and through her profession we immigrated to the United States to meet the nation’s demand for healthcare workers, which continues today. Indeed, nursing- and healthcare-related education remain in high demand among the Filipino people as it provides access to employment opportunities throughout the world.

With approximately 1.8 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) globally, the number-one export of the Philippines is its people. My personal favorite “Filipino diaspora experience” is

BY PJ GAGAJENA