04 November 214 - The Philippine Consulate General in Geneva, Switzerland launched its program on Financial Education for overseas Filipinos in Geneva and neighboring areas during a seminar with the members of Come to Jesus Fellowship International and the Batangas Association. An estimated 150 participants attended the seminar, which was held on October 05.
The seminar, which included representatives from the respective offices of the Social Security Systems (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Manila, began with a briefing on Migration and Savings, which focused on the realities faced by overseas Filipinos when managing their finances as well as on practical tips to overcome the challenges.
“The main goal of the Financial Education program is to encourage discussions about the difficulties faced by overseas Filipinos when managing their incomes and, from these identified challenges, figure out ways to better use their resources and engage their respective families in the process,” said Ambassador Cecilia B. Rebong, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations and Other Organizations in Geneva.
Ambassador Rebong noted common stories on the constant lack of savings despite the relatively high income of Filipinos who were able to find work in Switzerland.
Second Secretary and Consul Arnel Talisayon talked on “Migration and Savings.”
“The importance of involving the family – the end-users of the remittances sent by overseas Filipinos – in financial management cannot be emphasized enough. We also need to protect our hard-earned income from scams disguised as investments and from losses borne by uncalculated business risks,” Consul Talisayon emphasized.
The other speakers were Welfare Officer Cynthia Lamban, Pag-IBIG Representative Brigitte Mahor and SSS Representative Wilma Ortiz who discussed their institutions’ various programs for overseas Filipinos.
The seminar is the first in a series of activities planned by the Consulate-General. Coordination is ongoing with the Filipino community on the conduct of a free, four-weekend course that will include workshops and lectures about starting a business, marketing and advertising, financial statements, and franchising concepts. END