15 August 2013 – 04 August 2013 was like any ordinary day at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) University Town, except for the presence of 279 men and women in blue togas. What made this graduation more special than usual was the profile of the graduates: majority of them were Filipino household service workers (HSWs) and other OFWs. They were joined by HSWs and other migrant workers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka in Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI) Global’s 5th Commencement Exercise.
ASKI Global was set up in Singapore in 2010 as a non-profit organization working for the upliftment of migrant workers. By offering them courses on Financial Education and Basic Entrepreneurship, ASKI Global paves the way for these migrant workers’ eventual reunification with their families, as well as harnessing their potential as contributors to their countries’ socio-economic development. This year’s graduation also included those who completed ASKI Global’s latest course offering on Personality Development and Communication.
Many of the graduates have put up their own small businesses in their home countries, some of them through loans ASKI Global. Awards were given to those with the most outstanding business plans.
The roster of speakers at the graduation ceremony showed the robust linkages that ASKI Global has formed since its inception. Professor Albert Chu Ying Teo, ASKI Global Board Director and Associate Professor at NUS Business School, delivered the opening remarks. NUS Business School’s Asia Center for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy (ACSEP) helped ASKI Global craft its course curriculum. Another speaker was Ms. Margie Pagdanganan, Regional Chief Auditor for ASEAN and Head of Audit for Singapore of Citibank, N.A. Citi Foundation is a major sponsor of ASKI Global’s programs.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Minda Calaguian-Cruz delivered the keynote address, in which she saluted the graduates for their hard work and perseverance, and challenged them to help in nation-building even as they empower their own families. She also congratulated the ASKI Global team, led by Mr Rolando Victoria, Chairman of the Board, and Ms Irma Cosico, CEO.
In his employer’s testimonial, Mr Timothy John White, Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University, whose Filipino HSW was among the graduates, joked that it takes some getting used to, to have someone in the house that was both an HSW and the CEO of her own business.
Dr Astrid Tuminez, ASKI Global Board Director and Regional Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs in Southeast Asia for Microsoft Corporation, gave the closing remarks wherein she shared her personal experience rising up from difficult circumstances with the help of others.
As part of the Philippine Embassy’s efforts to promote financial literacy and an entrepreneurial mindset among OFWs, its officers and staff are also undergoing ASKI Global’s courses, with the support of Metrobank Foundation. END