Filipino network in Europe convenes in Malta

Malta President Marie Louise (center) and Mr. Preca (behind her) welcome members of the European network of Filipinos. PHOTOS BY G. ALCANTARA

MALTA – A network of Filipinos in Europe met here July 31 to August 2 to review their goals of empowering Filipinos overseas and helping promote good governance in the Philippines. It also elected a new board of directors.

The European Network of Filipino Diaspora (ENFiD) Annual General Meeting and 2^nd European Regional Conference of Overseas Filipinos took place at Hotel San Antonio, welcomed in person by Malta’s President Marie Louise Preca.

Around 80 delegates attended the conference, mainly from Europe, as well as dignitaries from the Philippines such as Secretary Imelda M. Nicolas, Chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) under the Office of the President of the Philippines.

CFO Secretary Imelda Nicolas giving opening remarks-.

The conference is seen as a significant bridge for cultural exchange between the Philippines and Europe, as it provides a channel where European Filipinos can hold dialogue with one another, as well as with government and non-government bodies, on an international platform.

First of its kind

The first regional organization of its kind, ENFiD seeks to engage and empower the Filipino community in Europe, and represent European Filipinos with the Philippine Government as well as with their host countries to the European Union. The organization is now also in the EU Transparency Register.

Among its good governance objectives include: online registration and voting for overseas voters; joining the effort to make China withdraw from the islands in the West Philippine Sea; declaring overseas regions (such as Europe, USA, Middle East) as political districts to enable Overseas Filipinos to stand for office similar to the party list system; and the transportability of European national health service benefits to the Philippines.

ENFiD was born in September 2012 following the first European Regional Diaspora 2 Dialogue Conference held in Rome, attended by delegates from across Europe and beyond. It was formally registered as a voluntary organisation with the Malta Commission on Voluntary Organisations in early 2014.

ENFID officers with guest from the U.S., Atty. Rodel Rodis (middle).

CFO Secretary Nicolas, accompanied by Director Regina Galias, thanked ENFiD “for having the courage to take up the challenge of continuing the dialogue” among Overseas Filipinos.

Nicolas further exhorted the conference to “continue to serve as the role model for the rest of the Filipino communities around the world,” and to continue “inspiring commitment and honing organisational skills to continue what [was] started from the three successful Global Summits held in Manila in 2011, 2013, and in February of this year.”

Filipinos as friends

Her Excellency Maltese President Marie Louise Preca gave an inspirational speech, which was very positively received by the attendees. She stated, “As Maltese, we look at Filipinos as our friends.”

After praising ENFiD for its “endeavour in promoting and upholding the interests, rights and welfare of Filipinos living overseas”, H.E. Preca continued: “Filipinos living overseas are well respected [and] contribute to the productivity and well-being of [their resident] countries.”

“This is true for the Filipino community living and working in Malta, that I can vouch, which is estimated as nearly 4,500 now.”

Preca concluded: “Malta is grateful to the Filipino workers who conscientiously fill a gap in the labour market.”

Ambassador to Czech Republic Victoriano Lecaros, Consul Jed Dayang (Czech Republic), Consul Rob Bolivar (Brussels), and Consul General Senen Mangalile (UK) represented the diplomatic corps.

Learned much

Ambassador to Czech Republic Victoriano Lecaros said he learned much from the two-day conference by keeping his ears and eyes open and his mouth shut, which elicited laughter.

“It’s something of a surprise what I heard this afternoon about relationships with embassies,” said Ambassador Lecaros. “Make no mistake, the embassies are there to serve the communities. We are not your masters. We are extensions of the Government from back home.”

Consul Jed Dayang spoke about social remittances and cultural diffusion of Filipinos in Europe, assuring participants that an embassy is a “house of Filipinos overseas.”

Consul Robspierre Bolivar covered the continuing saga of the West Philippine Sea, while Consul General Senen Mangalile (UK) enlightened the conference on the Phiippine government’s efforts to stop human trafficking.

Expert speakers

There were expert speakers from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other European and Philippine institutions, including President and CEO Alex Padilla of Phil. Health Insurance Corp. who introduced the Phil. Health scheme to European Filipinos, as well as delegates and bloggers from the USA.

Emcee Pia Gonzales of Italy introducing Malta President Marie Louise Preca (3rd fr left).

Attorney Rodel Rodis of US Pinoys for Good Governance (USPGG) and INQUIRER.net columnist said: “I think think Europe is critical because what you’re doing here in Europe [ENFiD] is more of the prototype of what we want to see built in other continents, in Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand – more than our experience in the U.S.”

Several artists shared their world-class talents at the conference, including performer Stephanie Reese and musician John Florencio (both involved in the Paris production of Filipino musical “Marco Polo: An Untold Love Story” by Roger Saldo Chua); Maltese mezzo soprano Connie Francis Zerafa; and accompanist Dr Romola Morrow.

New Board

A new Board of Directors was elected to serve European Filipino communities for the next two years. Five new ENFiD Country Representatives were also selected, including members from Norway, Malta, Switzerland, Ireland and Italy.

The full board now includes the following from across Europe: Chair, Gene Alcantara, UK; Vice Chair, Rohlee de Guzman, Netherlands; Secretary, Marison Rodriguez, Czech Republic; Treasurer, Renee Ikdal, Norway; Leonor Vintervoll, Norway; Cheryl Sevegan, Israel; Vanda Marie Brady, Ireland; Virgilio Cuizon, Germany; Nadeen Viloria Shaw, Malta; Rachel Hansen, Sweden; Romulo Sabio Salvador, Italy; Betsy Jance Vonatzigen, Switzerland; and Dennis Mana-ay, France.

Outgoing Board member Msgr. Jerry Bitoon of the Vatican Curia becomes an Honorary Board Member as he gets assigned to the Philippines. Atty. Amelia Alado, ENFiD-UK Chair, remains as Legal Adviser.

Singer Stephanie Reese and John Florencio entertaining the delegates.

ENFiD also announced the winners of the first ever ENFID Essay Writing Contest: Jaye de la Cruz of Netherlands in first place, winning €700; Marj Akil of UK in second place, winning €500; and Richelle Craw of Czech Republic in third place, winning €300.

Special thanks were given to Maltese businessman Kevin Attard of Attard Holdings for his vital role in the success of the conference, as well as ENFiD Malta representative Jaime Bernal and the team from the Filipino Maltese Community. Marie Luarca-Reyes, outgoing ENFiD Executive Director, was singled out for having worked tirelessly to bring the event together.

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