Foundation to launch seafarers family expo at the PTTC on Friday
31 July 2008

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The Pamilyang Overseas Filipino Workers-Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Network Foundation, Inc. (POFW-SMENFI) announced yesterday that it will formally launch its next event at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City on Friday (August 1) at its head office in Cubao, Quezon City.

POFW-SMENFI president George Arriola said the next event is entitled “5th Filipino Seafarers Family Expo and Forum” and the “4th Pamilyang OFWs-SMEs Housing and Home Essentials” which will be held on Sept. 13-14.

The twin expo is the third of four major events organized by the POFW-SMENFI (tel. no. 912-58-03) this year which are all aimed at ensuring the transformation of a majority of OFW families into entrepreneurs as well as in helping solve the OFW reintegration problem. Arriola said that the 9 million OFWs, which include the seafarers or sea-based workers, are not just “modern-day heroes” but also “great investors” whose remittances help keep the Philippine economy and corporate earnings afloat. The Philippines is considered the “Ship Manning Capital” of the world supplying the largest number of seafarers for the international maritime sector.

Arriola said that the majority of the OFW families have free time and excess money which they can utilize as investment in small business enterprises. He said that what is important, in order for the OFW families to succeed, is by giving them vital and useful information which is the role being currently played by the POFW-SMENFI in cooperation with the government, private and non-government organization sectors. The people behind the POFW-SMENFI started organizing events for the OFW families in 1994. The POFW-SMENFI website is http://www.pamilyangofw-sme.com.

He said that the twin exposition is a must-see event not only for the OFW and SME families but also to those involved in the overseas employment and small and medium enterprise industries.