Pinoy permanent migrants worldwide outnumber OFWs by 100,000 -- CFO

Permanent Filipino migrants worldwide outnumber overseas Filipino workers (OFW) by almost 100,000, based on new data from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), an agency under the Office of the President.   In a press conference in Makati on Wednesday, Secretary Imelda Nicolas, chairperson of the CFO, said the still-to-be-released 2011 Stock Data of the CFO shows that permanent Filipino migrants outnumber OFWs by 99,292. Nicolas also said the term “overseas Filipinos” is mistaken to mean "OFWs." The press conference was held to announce the CFO’s "Diaspora to Development" (D2D) international forum at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City from February 25 to 27, 2013.   “There is a misperception that when we talk of overseas Filipinos we just talk about OFWs,” Nicolas said. “In fact, our data shows that 47 percent are permanent migrants.” Nicolas explained that among the 9,452 984 Filipinos in over 200 locations, there are three types of overseas Filipinos:   (1) Permanent migrants – 47 percent (4,423,680)   (2) Temporary migrants (OFWs) – 45 percent (4,324,388)   (3) Illegal migrants – 8 percent (704,916) "Culturally at risk"   Meanwhile, Undersecretary Mary Grace Ampil Tirona said overseas Filipinos are “culturally” at risk.   “We would also like to emphasize that our OFW communities worldwide are people at risk,” she said.   Nicolas attributed this to “the pressures of assimilation and acculturation," aside from issues like cross-cultural misunderstanding. Tirona noted that Filipinos face these risks because they are highly in demand as workers in other countries.   “We are in demand. Thanks to and no thanks to globalization,” she said .     Diaspora to Development   The CFO said the Diaspora to Development (D2D) Global Summit of Filipinos in 2013 intends to maximize overseas Filipino involvement in the following areas:

• Skills and technology transfer
• Arts and culture exchange
• Educational exchange
• Business linkaging
• Diaspora investments
• Global legal assistance
• Advocacy
• Diaspora philanthropy
• Medical mission coordination
• Tourism initiatives
• Return and reintegration

According to Nicolas, diaspora refers to the movement of people away from their country of origin, heritage or interest while maintaining very strong links with their homeland.   With its slogan “Balikbayan, kaalaman, kakayahan, ibalik sa bayan,” the event aims to:  

•  tap into the heroic nature of Filipinos
•  Ignite the Filipino spirit of helping each other
•  Expose the Filipino to the concept of returning to his homeland

  The D2D will also coincide with EDSA 1 People Power Revolution celebration.   “Our overseas Filipinos would like to show that people power is not limited within the boundaries of the Philippines,” Nicolas said.   It’s about time that Filipinos here and abroad use that power to create a collective future which will benefit the country, the communities and their families whether they are with them [or not].” she continued. - VVP, GMA News