Global Filipino networking meet set here again

CEBU, Philippines – The 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention will be taking place in Cebu this year with the theme “Surviving the Present, Shaping the Future”.

After it was last held in Cebu City in 2005, organizers decided to bring it back to Cebu after many Filipinos from all over the country showed great support for the convention.

The Global Filipino Networking Convention was a project of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations in Region 8, Northern California, a non-profit and non-partisan coalition of community organizations and advocacy groups representing some four million people of Filipino descent in the US.

 Other sponsors of the event are the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies in the Philippines Inc. and the Philippine American Chambers of Commerce.

Through the three-day convention, which will be held in Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, barangay Lahug, from October 9 to 11, organizers aim to build closer ties to Filipinos all over the country and discuss issues affecting the country.

Jenny Franco, chairwoman of NAITAS Cebu Chapter, said they wish to identify common interests of the Filipinos whether living here or in other countries.

The convention was first done in 2002 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California, where more than 4,000 attended, the second convention was held in Manila in 2003, the third in Cebu in 2005, the fourth in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2006 and the fifth in Sydney, Australia in 2007.

Franco said different matters are scheduled to be tackled during the event like the advancement of popular art and culture, entertainment, business and health care.

Tourism, women empowerment, education, dual citizenship, absentee voting and other issues will also be discussed in different forums.

 Since it is also in time for the preparation for the 2010 elections, Franco said that those vying for the presidential seat will be given the chance to present their ideas on different matters.

Franco said that they are targeting 1,500 guests this year but will be expecting more especially from the US, Europe, Australia and Asian countries.

“We encourage more global Filipinos to come home, come back to the Philippines and join us,” Franco added.

For those interested to participate, more information is available at www.6thGlobalCebu.com. — AJ de la Torre/BRP (THE FREEMAN)