PH Embassy in Israel, CIMI Launch Pilot Seminar on Financial Literacy

From left: Ms. Orly Heiblum, CIMI Program Coordinator; Welfare Officer Dina Ponciano; Mr. Alon Ackerman, Manager for CIMI Call Center for Migrant Workers; Dr. Nelly Kfir, CIMI Deputy Executive Director; Ms. Dorit Murciano, Financial Literacy Expert; Labor Attache Rodolfo Gabasan; and Consul General Reichel Quinones. (Not in photo: OWWA Administrative Assistant Antonio Sanchez, Jr.). (Tel Aviv PE photo)

TEL AVIV 17 August 2021 – The Philippine Embassy in Israel, in partnership with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Israel (POLO-Israel), the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration in Israel (OWWA-Israel), and the Center for International Migration and Integration (CIMI) launched the pilot seminar on financial literacy for Filipino caregivers in Israel on 15 August  2021 at the HI Tel Aviv along Bnei Dan.

Dorit Murciano, a financial consultant previously based in New York, led the attendees in identifying their financial goals, setting a timeline for achieving them, and preparing a budget that would help them meet their goals. “Your goals have to be realistic so that you can plan to reach them,” she reminded the participants. “Budgeting will help you understand how long it will take, and what you need to do each month in order to achieve your goal.”

“We’ve heard so many stories of Filipino workers completing their contracts and still going home empty-handed,” Labor Attaché Rodolfo Gabasan told the attendees, all Filipino caregivers who had been working in Israel for over 2 years. “We don’t want that to be your story. We want you to go home knowing that you achieved your goals and that you are ready to move on to another, better chapter of your life.”

Dr. Nelly Kfir, CIMI’s Deputy Executive Director for Research, Evaluation, and Development, thanked the attendees for coming. “It means a lot that you took the time out of your day to participate, whether in person or online,” she said. “This is CIMI’s first workshop series on financial literacy for workers in Israel, and we hope that you find the information useful in helping you achieve your financial and personal goals.”

The seminar, aimed at empowering Filipino caregivers to take control of their financial well-being and achieve their goals for themselves and their families, consists of 3 lectures with an expert, complemented by five (5) monthly online meetings, mentoring and follow-up activities. The first lecture, which was also streamed online via Zoom, gathered 23 participants – 16 of whom attended in person, 7 following online and participating via the chat function on Zoom.

Filipinos in Israel interested in joining the workshop series may e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register and gain access to the recording of the first session. For more information, they may also e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the Embassy’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/PHinIsrael. END

Ms. Dorit Murciano explains to participants how to prepare a budget that is aimed at achieving their financial goals. (Tel Aviv PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.telavivpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.org.il or https://www.facebook.com/PHinIsrael/.