Pampanga Field Visit: Inter-Agency Initiatives for Migrants' Concerns

The Province of Pampanga is located at the central plains of Luzon in the Philippines. The means of transportation going to Pampanga is by land with travel time of approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour from Manila. The people of Pampanga are known for their cooking abilities and very nice food delicacies.

Manila Field Visit: Government Agencies Working on Migrant Workers Concerns

The field visit aims to provide information on the various programs of the Philippine government on migration. The field visit will bring participants to national government agencies dealing with migrant workers concerns. Participants will be provided with an overview of the programs and services offered by the Philippine government to Filipino migrant workers and members of their families.

The Following government agencies will be visited:

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) - provides advice on matters relating to the formulation and execution of Philippine foreign policy relating to the protection of the dignity, fundamental rights and freedoms of Filipino citizens abroad, while giving particular attention to the protection and promotion of the welfare and dignity of overseas Filipinos.

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) - tasked to promote and develop the Philippine Overseas Employment Program and Protect the Rights of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The POEA is also in charge of regulating private sector participation in the recruitment and placement of OFWS.

Batangas Field Visit: Dialogue with Civil Society Organizations, Migrant Families and the Local Government of Batangas

The field visit will provide the participants with the opportunity to learn about the cooperation among civil society organizations, migrant families, returnee migrant workers and the local government of Batangas. The Province of Batangas is located in the Southwestern part of Luzon, 111 Kilometers from Metro Manila.  The participants will be able dialogue with local government officials of Batangas and learn about the support services and programs available for migrant workers and families of migrants.  Participants will also have the opportunity to meet with the communities of migrant families, returnee migrants and civil society organizations providing assistance for migrant workers.

Mabini Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Migration Center – The first migration center in the province of  Batangas. It is the government and civil society’s response to help the OFWs and their families, including the children left behind, to ensure safe migration, address its social cost and at the same time tap the role of OFWs and their family circles in harnessing the development potentials of migration which will benefit them and their communities.

Batang Atikha Savers Club – An organization of youth savers who understand the value of money. To date, there are almost 1000 members with more than 2M accumulated savings.

Historical Tour in the Province of Bulacan

It is often said that spirituality has to be fully connected to the core of one’s being and concretely translated to daily life. For others, it is the advancement of one’s sense of being and sense of becoming.  The spirituality of history is a way of connecting with the past through appreciation and recognition of the noble and selfless love of women and men to the Motherland.

It is a way of seeing past events and circumstances to the present and the future; a way of discerning individual and collective responses and contributions in crafting a better tomorrow for humanity, especially to the poor women and men in rural and urban communities. Thus, the spirituality of history is ultimately a way of being, doing and becoming.

This historical tour traces the awakening of the revolutionary spirit of the people of Bulacan from the propaganda movement in 1880 to the revolution of the Filipino people against colonial rule of Spain in 1896 to the eve of America’s aggressive imperialist drive to the Far East in 1898. The tour will present the lives and sacrifices through monologue and story-telling of Filipino heroes in Bulacan (e.g. Marcelo Del Pilar, Gregorio Del Pilar, Maria Rodrigo, Loreto Lucero, Vicente Enriquez, women of Malolos) who fiercely and bravely fought for their freedom and independence from foreign rule.