Investing in the Philippines: A negative experience to some OFWs
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Netherlands are discouraged from investing in the Philippines because of the bad experiences suffered by some OFWs here, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
To help overcome the negative attitudes of these Filipinos towards doing business in their home country, the Philippine Embassy hosted an informal forum in The Hague, presided by five representatives of the Philippine Consortium on Migration and Development or PhilComDev.
Estrella Dizon-Anonuevo of Atikha, Jonas George Soriano and Salvador Umengan of Ploughshares Inc., Lurina Gargarita of Philippine Social Enterprise Network and Julyn Ambito of IDEALS represented PhilComDev, which is a coalition of more than thirty non-profit organizations in the Philippines formed to lure remittances for social-enterprise initiatives.
Pinoys from the different organizations in Holland gathered at the Embassy to hear what PhilComDev had to offer in terms of investing their hard-earned euros in the Philippines.
Chito Garcia, a Pinoy who has been living in Amsterdam for thirty years now is still reeling from a traumatic experience when he started a corn business in the Philippines in 2001.
“I started the central buying of corn in Batangas but sad to say, the system in the Philippines is really disappointing. Unfortunately there are traders who I can’t compete with because they are millionaires who monopolize the buying of corn so I got rid of that cooperative. I really hate that system in the Philippines, I’m sorry to say,” he said.
Soriano told Garcia not to give up and to have faith because it is an essential virtue in a start-up enterprise.
“Normally ‘yung faith (is faith). I don’t know of any entrepreneur that hit it big kaagad agad (immediately). What I advice is maybe to go back and see where are the kinks in it. Because the trading system has been there for 100 years, but a lot of people had beaten the trading system,” Soriano said.
Soriano advised that corn is now a hot commodity in the Philippines since the US stopped selling corn to the world market because it is now being used for bio-fuel. The opportunity for corn buying and production then has surged in the Philippines due to the daily needs of hogs and chicken raising.
From the latest information that Soriano received, there is a necessity for 60 tons of corn a week and a shortage in the Philippines of one million tons per year.
A member of the Philippine Seafarers Assistance Program, Felix Pulmano, also went through hardship when his group invested in a rice business in the Philippines.
“We also have a business in 2001. And then in 2003 together with our group, we engaged in rice. And then we have difficulty as what Chito [Garcia] have said. But what we did was we danced with the music. And then I think what we learned from that is we asked some business people to be with us so we can learn,” Pulmano said.
Pulmano thinks that an OFW is walking a tightrope when doing business in the Philippines that it is still wiser to invest in an enterprise that is already established.
“I think we should look first for a kind of migrant enterprise that is booming. Of course I have some social responsibility. So first I think go first for which is profitable,“ he said.
Dizon-Anonuevo says that if one isn’t profitable, then there is nothing to share and such is basic.
“I think that’s the beauty of the social enterprise. Because what we have now in the consortium are already social enterprises. Mga pag-aari na ng (It’s already owned by the) cooperatives. Marami nang nagbebenefit sa kanila (Many have benefited). And they are products that benefit the environment because they are organic like organic rice, muscovado, lemon grass, essential oils, these are the kind of social enterprises that we are encouraging to be set up and upscaled in the Philippines,” she said.
Tess de Man-Solibio, from Stichting Bayanihan which is a foundation helping Filipino women in the Netherlands, asked how much money goes to the Philippines from the OFWs and why many in the Philippines remain poor.
Dizon-Anonuevo answered that sixteen billion dollars were remitted by OFWs last year yet the Philippines remains poor because a big portion of it is used on consumption thereby failing to create capital or wealth.
Remittance studies have shown that most of the money received by families of OFWs are used for day-to-day expenses, such as food, utilities, and other household expenses.
“In fact sa mga communities where we are working, nag-interview kami ng 1,000 families kung magkano ang nireremit at saka kung enough yung nireremit. Yung 5,000 pesos sabi nya hindi enough, yung 20,000 pesos sabi nya hindi enough, yung 60,000 pesos sabi nya hindi enough, yung 100,000 pesos ang nireremit monthly sinasabi din hindi enough. So ano yung enough. Kase ang nakikita namin, habang tumataas ang binibigay tumataas din ang standard of living. Tumataas din ang kanilang gusto (In fact in the communities where we are working, we interviewed 1,000 families how much they remit and if the amount they remit is enough. They said 5,000 pesos is not enough, 20,000 pesos is not enough, 60,000 pesos is not enough, 100,000 pesos that is remitted monthly is not enough. So what is wnough. From what we see when what we provide increases so dies the standard of living. Their needs also increase),” she added.
After the non-stop queries, only one Pinoy declared that his questions were not fully answered.
“It’s the first time they come that’s why I’m trying to pose some basic questions. It is in relation to mobilization of the economic initiative of migrants, mobilization of their savings. I asked what exactly is the PhilComDev advocacy and vision of development. It is a valid question,” said Nonoi Hacbang of the Commission on Filipino Migrant Workers.
“Things are already also happening here. For example, the seafarers here, the initiative on savings mobilization is being put and invested in Mindanao and then locally they are tied up creating a new local economy and at the same time it’s there, giving also some employment. And there are many initiatives going on which should be considered,” Hacbang told ABS-CBN Europe.
Despite that and with the forum lasting three hours than the scheduled two hours, PhilComDev succeeded in generating interest from the Pinoys and regaining their trust.PhilComDev did not only give a positive insight on how the OFWs can channel their earnings to worthy investment and business ventures in the Philippines, but also provided a platform to discuss migration and development issues.
“Most of them have a lot of negative experiences in managing business and we think that it is only in coming together that the different players in the Philippines and also the migrants abroad, if we can really put our acts together, that is the key because we can redirect the resources to sustainable development in the Philippines so that if we develop our communities then we break the chain of migration,” Dizon-Anonuevo said.
“I think their response is very encouraging. They said they have learned a lot, heard a lot of new things that are not usually discussed in a forum held here at the embassy. Maybe it’s because we are addressing issues that are close to their hearts like issue of the problem of children left behind and also how does the family, the husband cope with the separation, the social problem being brought about by migration. But also more importantly, we are giving them hope that there are a lot initiatives, good initiatives that are happening in the Philippines that are not known because sometimes the good news don’t get in the papers,” she added.
Consul Adrian Cruz thanked the participants and assured the Pinoys that the Embassy will continue in its effort to link up the Filipino community with Philippine-based social enterprises.
“We hope that activities of this kind could still be done by the Embassy and we encourage Filipino communities here in the Netherlands to also make priority, issues of migration and development because it doesn’t only affect themselves but their families as well,” Cruz said.
Soriano is optimistic that the Filipinos will continue to make a difference in the world.
“I think we have proven that the Filipinos are there to do something for themselves and for their communities and we can be both entrepreneurs for the Philippines and even for the world. I hope that this is the start of something big,” he said.
Indeed the continued investment of overseas workers and how it will have a significant impact in the Philippines will be something to look forward to just as how the OFW remains a miracle that doesn’t cease to perform wonders on the country’s economy and on the lives of Filipino families.
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=88597
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Netherlands are discouraged from investing in the Philippines because of the bad experiences suffered by some OFWs here, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
To help overcome the negative attitudes of these Filipinos towards doing business in their home country, the Philippine Embassy hosted an informal forum in The Hague, presided by five representatives of the Philippine Consortium on Migration and Development or PhilComDev.
Estrella Dizon-Anonuevo of Atikha, Jonas George Soriano and Salvador Umengan of Ploughshares Inc., Lurina Gargarita of Philippine Social Enterprise Network and Julyn Ambito of IDEALS represented PhilComDev, which is a coalition of more than thirty non-profit organizations in the Philippines formed to lure remittances for social-enterprise initiatives.
Pinoys from the different organizations in Holland gathered at the Embassy to hear what PhilComDev had to offer in terms of investing their hard-earned euros in the Philippines.
Chito Garcia, a Pinoy who has been living in Amsterdam for thirty years now is still reeling from a traumatic experience when he started a corn business in the Philippines in 2001.
“I started the central buying of corn in Batangas but sad to say, the system in the Philippines is really disappointing. Unfortunately there are traders who I can’t compete with because they are millionaires who monopolize the buying of corn so I got rid of that cooperative. I really hate that system in the Philippines, I’m sorry to say,” he said.
Soriano told Garcia not to give up and to have faith because it is an essential virtue in a start-up enterprise.
“Normally ‘yung faith (is faith). I don’t know of any entrepreneur that hit it big kaagad agad (immediately). What I advice is maybe to go back and see where are the kinks in it. Because the trading system has been there for 100 years, but a lot of people had beaten the trading system,” Soriano said.
Soriano advised that corn is now a hot commodity in the Philippines since the US stopped selling corn to the world market because it is now being used for bio-fuel. The opportunity for corn buying and production then has surged in the Philippines due to the daily needs of hogs and chicken raising.
From the latest information that Soriano received, there is a necessity for 60 tons of corn a week and a shortage in the Philippines of one million tons per year.
A member of the Philippine Seafarers Assistance Program, Felix Pulmano, also went through hardship when his group invested in a rice business in the Philippines.
“We also have a business in 2001. And then in 2003 together with our group, we engaged in rice. And then we have difficulty as what Chito [Garcia] have said. But what we did was we danced with the music. And then I think what we learned from that is we asked some business people to be with us so we can learn,” Pulmano said.
Pulmano thinks that an OFW is walking a tightrope when doing business in the Philippines that it is still wiser to invest in an enterprise that is already established.
“I think we should look first for a kind of migrant enterprise that is booming. Of course I have some social responsibility. So first I think go first for which is profitable,“ he said.
Dizon-Anonuevo says that if one isn’t profitable, then there is nothing to share and such is basic.
“I think that’s the beauty of the social enterprise. Because what we have now in the consortium are already social enterprises. Mga pag-aari na ng (It’s already owned by the) cooperatives. Marami nang nagbebenefit sa kanila (Many have benefited). And they are products that benefit the environment because they are organic like organic rice, muscovado, lemon grass, essential oils, these are the kind of social enterprises that we are encouraging to be set up and upscaled in the Philippines,” she said.
Tess de Man-Solibio, from Stichting Bayanihan which is a foundation helping Filipino women in the Netherlands, asked how much money goes to the Philippines from the OFWs and why many in the Philippines remain poor.
Dizon-Anonuevo answered that sixteen billion dollars were remitted by OFWs last year yet the Philippines remains poor because a big portion of it is used on consumption thereby failing to create capital or wealth.
Remittance studies have shown that most of the money received by families of OFWs are used for day-to-day expenses, such as food, utilities, and other household expenses.
“In fact sa mga communities where we are working, nag-interview kami ng 1,000 families kung magkano ang nireremit at saka kung enough yung nireremit. Yung 5,000 pesos sabi nya hindi enough, yung 20,000 pesos sabi nya hindi enough, yung 60,000 pesos sabi nya hindi enough, yung 100,000 pesos ang nireremit monthly sinasabi din hindi enough. So ano yung enough. Kase ang nakikita namin, habang tumataas ang binibigay tumataas din ang standard of living. Tumataas din ang kanilang gusto (In fact in the communities where we are working, we interviewed 1,000 families how much they remit and if the amount they remit is enough. They said 5,000 pesos is not enough, 20,000 pesos is not enough, 60,000 pesos is not enough, 100,000 pesos that is remitted monthly is not enough. So what is wnough. From what we see when what we provide increases so dies the standard of living. Their needs also increase),” she added.
After the non-stop queries, only one Pinoy declared that his questions were not fully answered.
“It’s the first time they come that’s why I’m trying to pose some basic questions. It is in relation to mobilization of the economic initiative of migrants, mobilization of their savings. I asked what exactly is the PhilComDev advocacy and vision of development. It is a valid question,” said Nonoi Hacbang of the Commission on Filipino Migrant Workers.
“Things are already also happening here. For example, the seafarers here, the initiative on savings mobilization is being put and invested in Mindanao and then locally they are tied up creating a new local economy and at the same time it’s there, giving also some employment. And there are many initiatives going on which should be considered,” Hacbang told ABS-CBN Europe.
Despite that and with the forum lasting three hours than the scheduled two hours, PhilComDev succeeded in generating interest from the Pinoys and regaining their trust.PhilComDev did not only give a positive insight on how the OFWs can channel their earnings to worthy investment and business ventures in the Philippines, but also provided a platform to discuss migration and development issues.
“Most of them have a lot of negative experiences in managing business and we think that it is only in coming together that the different players in the Philippines and also the migrants abroad, if we can really put our acts together, that is the key because we can redirect the resources to sustainable development in the Philippines so that if we develop our communities then we break the chain of migration,” Dizon-Anonuevo said.
“I think their response is very encouraging. They said they have learned a lot, heard a lot of new things that are not usually discussed in a forum held here at the embassy. Maybe it’s because we are addressing issues that are close to their hearts like issue of the problem of children left behind and also how does the family, the husband cope with the separation, the social problem being brought about by migration. But also more importantly, we are giving them hope that there are a lot initiatives, good initiatives that are happening in the Philippines that are not known because sometimes the good news don’t get in the papers,” she added.
Consul Adrian Cruz thanked the participants and assured the Pinoys that the Embassy will continue in its effort to link up the Filipino community with Philippine-based social enterprises.
“We hope that activities of this kind could still be done by the Embassy and we encourage Filipino communities here in the Netherlands to also make priority, issues of migration and development because it doesn’t only affect themselves but their families as well,” Cruz said.
Soriano is optimistic that the Filipinos will continue to make a difference in the world.
“I think we have proven that the Filipinos are there to do something for themselves and for their communities and we can be both entrepreneurs for the Philippines and even for the world. I hope that this is the start of something big,” he said.
Indeed the continued investment of overseas workers and how it will have a significant impact in the Philippines will be something to look forward to just as how the OFW remains a miracle that doesn’t cease to perform wonders on the country’s economy and on the lives of Filipino families.
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=88597
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