I am writing this column with a very clear mind and outside my ‘home’ for 22 years which is Dubai, UAE. I am in Tbilisi, Georgia, with my wife for our 27th wedding anniversary celebration. We are staying in the resort hotel where my wife’s younger brother works. There are no distractions at the balcony, and everything is still – even the lake in front of me.
On April 1 this year, I drafted an incomplete proposal for the Marcos Administration entitled ‘Filipino Excellence Across the Globe’. The objective: “To promote Filipino Excellence in the (specific country or region) that would create a positive image of the Filipinos as excellent, talented, professional, sincere, and trustworthy using the mainstream and social media.”
The net effect of my proposal is for ‘foreign governments, foreign companies and foreigners to appreciate the existence of Filipinos in their respective countries or regions that would lead to their support of the initiatives and programs of the Marcos Administration and the Philippine Government’.
These would be the expressions or concrete outcomes which I have not yet completed as I decided not to share anymore because I don’t really have any direct contact with President Bongbong Marcos:
– Government goodwill and investment support
– Private sector appreciation and investment
– Employment opportunities and maintenance
In a press release last Saturday, May 14, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications (OPACC) said the government is embarking on promoting the talents and skills of Filipinos working abroad. In a two-page statement, OPACC Secretary Paul Soriano said that they are rolling out “a country branding campaign” to uplift the spirit of Filipinos doing well overseas. “We Give the World Our Best – The Philippines” is meant to promote and focus on the Filipino achievers abroad, Soriano said.
Soriano’s statement came after an ad on a London bus, featuring Filipina-British nurse May Parsons was misconstrued as part of the country’s tourism campaign. The London ad came out during King Charles III’s coronation where a large of international crowd attended the historical global event. Parson was featured holding up a syringe and was described as the nurse who gave the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine along with the tagline “A Filipina. We Give the World Our Best. The Philippines.”
“OPACC wants to clear the confusion and clarify that it was not meant, in any way, to promote the country’s tourist destinations,” Soriano stressed.
According to Soriano, the OPACC released simultaneously some video commercials featuring true stories of successful Filipinos in different countries, including an ad that tells the story of Charm, a Filipina caregiver in the UK, and DJ, a barista in Italy.
“Through this country branding campaign, we want to uplift the spirit of our Overseas Filipinos, and honor them particularly for their values that make Filipinos known to do their best at whatever chosen field, wherever they go and whatever it is they do,” Soriano pointed out.
On January 26, I emailed Rafael Jose Consing Jr., who was just appointed as a leading member of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs, to have a Liaison Officer of the Philippine Government with the Private Sector in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The Liaison Officer should be based in Dubai who can start first approaching UAE companies to set up presentations.
I mentioned that it is a given that in every major company in the Gulf, be it locally owned or a multinational, there will always be a Filipino staff such as receptionist, personal assistant, secretary, Finance and HR staff, and of course technical staff like engineer, quantity surveyor, draftsman, etc. These people will serve as the backdoor to get appointments with the decision makers and owners.
Getting an appointment with Gulf conglomerates is always the challenge not only for Filipinos but other nationalities as well. If this is addressed by the Liaison Officer, then any member of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs could simply fly in and present why the Philippines is a viable country to invest in.
On September 22 last year when he was in New York, President Marcos said: “It is our belief that the Philippines is the smart investment choice and the best time to do business with us is now. We have grand opportunities, the timing, the window of opportunities for investment and especially in capital intensive investments in the Philippines which is what we need now. We believe the time is now.“
I hope my recommendation on designating a Liaison Officer in Dubai under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs also happens. I know very well what I am saying being a 22-year resident of Dubai. Filipinos will be delighted to help their beloved Philippines prosper.