Lorna
http://6thGlobalCebu.com
http://NaFFAAR8.com
http://NaFFAA.org

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December 2009

Dear Friend and Supporter of the 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention:

We are sending this follow-up notice and explanation concerning the cancellation of the 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention scheduled in Cebu in January 2010, realizing that there are still many intending delegates and participants who have not been fully apprised of the reasons for the cancellation or of the announcement to that effect, that we had made some weeks ago.

It is extremely unfortunate that some of you have been badly inconvenienced by this cancellation. We deeply regret that we had to make the difficult decision to do so, in view of circumstances beyond our control.

We had been all set to hold the event in Cebu with our co-convenors, the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies – Cebu Chapter, having worked very hard to organize the land arrangements and other details of the convention; with leaders of NaFFAA regions across the US already finalizing their delegate lists; with our associates in the Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce readying their concurrent trade mission; and with our Global Filipino friends, headed by such dedicated leaders as Lolita Farmer, Esq., of the Global Filipino Coalition in Sydney and Anny Misa Hefti of Babaylan in Switzerland having set their travel plans.

But Typhoon Ondoy struck the Philippines, followed by the equally destructive Typhoon Pepeng. The devastation caused government and private sectors, including corporate sponsors and community associations, to re-channel their efforts, resources and funds to relief and rehabilitation.

We had already experienced problems ensuring adequate delegate participation in the convention because of the economic recession in the US. Ondoy and Pepeng gave those who already had second thoughts about spending their money on the trip reason to back out and to decide to just donate to the calamity relief efforts.

The last straw was the ruling by the Philippine Commission on Elections that premature campaigning would disqualify presidential candidates from running. One of the key attractions of the January 6th Global was a presidential debate, in view of the elections in May 2010. With the adverse Comelec ruling, the convention lost one of the key components that had previously persuaded sponsors to commit their support.

Given this series of setbacks, we, in the organizing committee, found ourselves with no other alternative but to cancel the 6th Global in Cebu and to consider an option, also involving Global Filipinos and also focusing on similar objectives, but much easier to mount and more in line with available resources.

Late in 2010, around September or October, NaFFAA will hold the 9th National Empowerment Conference, the biennial national convention of the federation. The venue is San Francisco, California and the host organizing committee is NaFFAA Region 8.

We are currently studying the possibility of holding a companion event that will harness the resources of several organizations now actively concerned with Global Filipino issues. We believe that there is an opportunity to bring these different groups together, which are working separately to benefit Filipinos around the world, and persuade them to consolidate and, thereby, generate much-needed synergy.

We, in NaFFAA and the 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention Organizing Committee, would like to see the formation of a Global Filipino Organization whose leadership will be drawn from these various independent and autonomous groups. We ourselves do not presume to be among the “leaders” of this organization, if it will ever be formed. It will be enough that we will have helped to conceive it.

But all of that will require some thinking and planning. At the moment, we are more concerned with expressing our sincerest regrets for the inconvenience that we may have caused you. In the same breath, we would like to express our admiration and gratitude for your commitment to the cause of Global Filipinos.

Maraming salamat po.

Sincerely,

Rodel Rodis
Chair
6th Global Filipino Networking Convention Organizing Committee

Marivic Bamba
Vice Chair
6th Global Filipino Networking Convention Organizing Committee

Lorna Dietz
Executive Coordinator
6th Global Filipino Networking Convention Organizing Committee

NOTED:

Greg B. Macabenta
National Chair
National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA)

P.S. For any questions or clarifications, kindly contact Rodel Rodis at Rodel50@aol.com. Thank you.

The Organizing Committee recommends that the OVERSEAS DELEGATE use the LONG FORM (with Information Brief) for the online registration process, which also contains all the information he or she needs in making travel arrangements. Click HERE to use the LONG FORM for online registration.

Please use your SCROLL function on your computer to get all the information from each form. Press the SUBMIT button.

Here is the short form for Overseas Delegates.

Here is the short form for Philippine-based delegates.