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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider OFWs urged to use entrepreneurship to transform lives

OFWs urged to use entrepreneurship to transform lives

Published Dec 3, 2023 01:58 pm

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been urged to use entrepreneurship to transform lives and help the country. 

This was the message by Vice President Sara Duterte and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion’s to the more than a thousand OFWs who gathered for the Balik-Bayan 2023 last December 2, 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The event was specially organized by Go Negosyo to encourage OFWs to pursue entrepreneurship.

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GO NEGOSYO FOR ENTREPRENEUR-OFWs -- More than a thousand OFWs and their families give the thumbs-up for Go Negosyo’s Balik-Bayan 2023, an event specially organized to encourage Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to pursue entrepreneurship. The day-long event, held last December 2, 2023 at the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City featured informative discussions with industry leaders, inspirational and learning sessions featuring successful entrepreneurs, and free onsite mentorship sessions where OFWs and their families were introduced to opportunities to embark on their entrepreneurial journey. Twelve OFWs and OFW families were given an Inspiring Balik-Bayan Award for their accomplishments in reintegrating into the Philippines as entrepreneurs. Joining Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion are Department of Education Undersecretary Atty. Michael Poa and Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto Rubiano, as well as the winners of the Inspiring Balik-Bayan Awards.

In her speech to the OFWs delivered by Department of Education Undersecretary Atty. Michael Poa, VP Duterte lauded Go Negosyo for “helping many kababayans, and guiding them toward a promising future as entrepreneurs.”

 

“Go Negosyo’s intervention serves as a new road and a new life for our OFWs,” she said. “The best part of this is that — while they are taught to fortify their economic security, they are doing it along with their families,” said the Vice President.

 

“Balik-Bayan is a platform to provide business opportunities and foster investment matches for OFWs, encouraging them toward entrepreneurship and ensuring that their hard work and resources are put to productive and profitable use,” said Joey Concepcion, founder of Go Negosyo.

 

In his message to the gathered OFWs, Concepcion reiterated the importance of entrepreneurship mentors, and how the success of OFWs in business has an incredible impact on society. “When they have financial security, they can afford education for their kids, and that is what this country needs,” he said.

 

Balik-Bayan 2023 featured informative discussions with industry leaders, inspirational and learning sessions featuring successful entrepreneurs, and free onsite mentorship sessions where OFWs and their families were introduced to opportunities to embark on their entrepreneurial journey.

 

A highlight of the Balik-Bayan Summit was the awarding of 12 OFW-turned-entrepreneurs and their families via the Inspiring  Balik-Bayan Awards. The categories include Inspiring Balik-Bayan-Turned-Entrepreneur, Inspiring Balik-Bayan-Turned-Influencer, Inspiring Balik-Bayan Creative Artist, and a special award for Inspiring Balik-Bayan Family. 

 

The winners participated in a forum where they related the challenges they encountered as Filipino OFWs building businesses overseas, or as returning OFWs who have successfully reintegrated into the country as entrepreneurs.

 

“I would like to think that ‘Balik-Bayan’ extends beyond the usual Tagalog term that is used to refer to overseas Filipinos returning to their homeland,” said Concepcion. “It is also a call for our expatriates to give back to the country – mag-balik sa bayan – by sharing their knowledge and resources with their countrymen and contributing to the progress of our nation,” he said.

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