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Leaders of various overseas Filipino groups and their kin and
friends in the Philippines have united to form the Global Filipino
Nation (GFN) to turn overseas Filipino into formidable change
agents.
At GFN’s launch at the University of Makati on
May 20, convenors also announced that they will present their
different roadmaps to ensure an active role for overseas-based
Filipinos in the entire spectrum of society.
“We would not take any more lip service about
overseas Filipino workers as modern day heroes” but “we would
push for a more forceful participation of OFWs in the mainstream at
home,” said Victor Barrios, an investment banker and adviser of
the World Bank for over 30 years.
Barrios said GFN will push for an Ed Panlilio
type of governance characterized by transparency, integrity and
dedicated public service.
The GFN held from May 8 to 11 a multisectoral
conference with theme Building the Global Filipino Nation for
Effective Governance at the University of Makati.
It was participated in by heads and members of
business, OFWs, migrant rights advocates, youth, indigenous people,
foundations and the law, the academe, think tanks, labor, grassroots
organizers and media.
Among the GFN members are Global Filipino
Coalitions, the National Federation of Filipino and American
Associations; Filipino Migrant Workers Group; the Economic Resource
Center for Overseas Filipinos; UGAT Foundation; Center for Strategic
Studies; the OFW Congress; Overseas Filipino Caucus for Development
and the Institute of Migration Studies of Miriam College.
Attendees discussed modules on economic, social
and political issues in the country.
The economic module seeks to develop a
sustainable market-based funding and mechanism for micro and small
enterprises’ financing and development.
The social module aims to develop a program and
mechanism to redress prioritized urgent issues facing migrant
workers whose families account for more than half of all Filipinos.
The political module envisions to mobilize
overseas Filipinos for a strategic role in GFN’s struggle for
nation building and effective governance for the welfare of all
Filipinos in the homeland and around the world.
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