CFO Officer Shares the LINKAPIL Experience in International Conference

Ms. Marie del Rosario Apattad, Officer-in-Charge of the Project Management Division of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, took part in the recent Global Village 2012: International Conference on Diaspora-Homeland Partnerships held in Jerusalem, Israel last June 11-13.  The conference was organized by the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs of the State of Israel, the Center for International Migration and the Jewish Joint Distribution Commission.  About forty countries were represented by government and ministry officials, non-government organizations, and the academe.

The first two days of the conference were devoted to parallel and workshop sessions on practices of diasporas and their activities all over the world.  It was said that "migration is one of the biggest dramas in the history of humankind."  This has created a phenomenon that has spawned varied diasporas found in all the corners of the Earth.

Among the talks held were on government structures and policies on engaging diasporas, identity, philanthropy, remittances, bonds and macroeconomic tools, new media and social networking, and mobilizing human capital.

Ms. Apattad lead a roundtable discussion and presented the Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL) Program of the CFO as one of the case studies in building trust and accountability between the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora.  She briefed the group on the history of the philanthropic program that started some 22 years back as a medium for the donations of overseas Filipinos when the Philippines was continuously hit by natural calamities.  From then on, the LINKAPIL's thrust has evolved, and has included various projects aimed at targeting some of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations, specifically eradication of poverty and hunger, achievement of universal primary education, lowering of infant mortality, improving maternal health and ensuring environmental sustainability.  She also provided points on how the program has become successful in engaging compatriots to help the the country.  She likewise stressed on the need to encourage donors to take on a more proactive approach so that their assistance are in line with the efforts of the government towards development, and that the donations be more attuned to the real needs of countryside communities.

The third day of the conference was spent by the participants visiting sites where the Jewish diaspora has assisted.