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

*

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.

6th Global Filipino Networking Convention
Set for January 21-23, 2010 Postponed

November 9, 2009, San Francisco, CA –

The four typhoons that struck the Philippines in September and October of 2009 also claimed as its victim the 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention that had been set to convene on January 21 to 23, 2010 at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.

“The sponsors that we were counting on to financially support our global convention were devastated by the typhoons,” said Rodel Rodis, chair of the organizing committee of the 6th Global. “They are focusing all their available resources to deal with the relief and rehabilitation efforts of the thousands of victims of the floods and landslide throughout Metro Manila, Central and Northern Luzon.”

The 6th Global Convention had also counted on the “Global Kapihan with the Presidentiables” as an opportunity for the Global Filipino community to assess the various presidential candidates. Organizers had counted on that convention feature to attract legions of delegates from throughout the world who would relish the opportunity to have a close-up view of the candidates.

“COMELEC issued a ruling which prohibited such presidential forums until three months before the May 2010 presidential elections. This meant we could not host the forum we wanted to offer to our delegates,” Rodis said.

Rodis also disclosed that there are plans to hold the 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention to another date and a another location with the focus on how the Global Filipino community can more systematically assist the Philippines deal with the economic and health crisis that were exacerbated by the recent natural calamities.

For future information and updates about the 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention, please log on to NaFFAAR8.com.

In the meantime, plan on being in Cebu during this wonderful month of January, 2010. The 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention is timed to take place with the Sinulog and the Ati-Atihan celebrations as well as annual medical missions to the Philippines.

The NEW DATES are January 21, 22, and 23, 2010, Thursday through Saturday.

Some of the highlights of the convention include business and networking opportunities among the participants, “The Global Kapihan on the Presidential Candidates” and “The Gallery of Heroes.”

See you in Cebu!

(We’ll be updating the website this weekend of August 31, 2009)

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.

Please remember to press the SUBMIT button after you have filled out the registration form.

For questions and follow-ups about your registration: registration@6thglobalcebu.com

For questions and follow-ups about your land arrangements (hotel rooms, airport transfers, and tours): landarrangements@6thglobalcebu.com

Registration Form By FAX: (If you live outside the Philippines)

Registration Form for Overseas Delegates for 6thGlobalCebu.com

Registration Form By Fax: (If you live in the Philippines)

Registration Form for Philippine Residents for 6thGlobalCebu.com

ONLINE REGISTRATION

CONVENTION PLANNING WORKSHEET

To help you plan your trip to the Philippines, please print, download, or forward this worksheet to interested parties.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/14814377/6th-Global-Filipino-Networking-Convention-on-Oct-911-2009-Individual-Convention-Planning-Worksheet-Pricing-for-Overseas-Attendees-Land-Arrang

Press Contact:

Lorna Lardizabal Dietz
Executive Coordinator, 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention
Lorna@6thGlobalCebu.com
(415) 235-9884 cell
(415) 508-5326 skype
Skype: lornadietz

August 11, 2009, San Francisco, CA – On October 9-11, 2009, the 6th Global Filipino Networking Convention convenes at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in the island of Cebu, Philippines. The theme of this year’s “convention of conventions” is “Surviving the Present, Shaping the Future,” a very timely call to action in these uncertain economic times worldwide.

Better known as the “6th Global,” the networking convention is convened by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations – Region 8 (NaFFAA-R8 in Northern California), headed by Rodel Rodis, organizing chair, and Marivic Bamba, organizing vice-chair, who, as co-founders, had successfully mounted the historic 1st Global Filipino Networking Convention in 2002 with 4,000 participants at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California. The co-convenor is the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies-Cebu Chapter, a.k.a. NAITAS, with Jenny Franco, the Cebu chapter president who is the 6th Global’s Secretary General.

Labeled as “A Convention of Opportunity,” the 6th Global aims “to (a) build ties within our Global Filipino community; (b) identify our common interests; and (c) address our common concerns.”

For the first time in the Global Filipino Networking Convention’s history, three national organizations will provide community outreach support in bringing together the Filipinos in the Philippines and Filipino expatriates whose links to the old country and whose concern and affection for it have remained undiminished, despite the passage of time: NaFFAA (represented by Greg B. Macabenta, National Chair), NAITAS-Cebu Chapter, representing NAITAS (with Bobby Lim Joseph, Founding Chair and Angel Ramos Bognot, Chair), and the Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce or FPACC (led by Yolanda O. Stern, President Emeritus and Jaime Lim, President and NaFFAA Region 7 Pacific Northwest-Oregon State Chair).

NaFFAA’s founding organizers of this biennial gathering had made a promise to bring the convention to the Philippines once every four to six years. The 3rd Global Filipino Networking Convention on January 20-22, 2005 had been held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, welcoming 1,100 delegates to three days of networking and festivities.

The 6th Global’s organizers, with their decision to make Cebu its destination of choice, are also encouraging overseas delegates and their guests to make pre- and post-convention trips to the Philippines’ many islands for their personal or business adventures.

The invitation is open to every overseas Filipino organization and individuals as well as Filipinos based in the Philippines who believe in the 6th Global’s goals and intentions of seeking “common ground.” The convention is all-inclusive, welcoming citizens of other countries as guests who advocate the Filipinos’ best interests.

The convention’s organizers continue to respond to organizations that have expressed an interest in participating as delegates and sponsors.

Some of the planned topics that will provide the foundation of the 6th Global’s break-out sessions: Advancement of Popular Art & Culture; Media; GREEN: Technology, Alternative Energy, and Environment, Business: Being “lean and green” offers economic empowerment; Health Care; Tourism, Women Empowerment; Education: “Growing Up Brown In…”; Dual Citizenship and the Overseas Filipino Absentee Voter; InterFaith Forum; and the Principled Leadership Forum with the serious contenders for 2010 Philippine national elections.

The Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest, in partnership with other major Filipino community organizations and key government agencies, is also sponsoring an 11-day trade and cross-cultural exchange mission to the Philippines from October 6 through October 17, 2009. The mission’s schedule coincides with several major conferences and international events in Cebu and Manila. According to Chamber organizers, the October 2009 Philippine Mission is focusing on more than trade. Because of the opportunity to meet with representatives from several different sectors at the 6th Global in Cebu, this mission includes representatives and leaders from business, education, government and philanthropic foundations.

MangoTours.com will provide US delegates with special airfare rates for the convention by booking directly at their website, http://MangoTours.com or calling 1-866¬-2-MANILA or 866-262-6452, promotion code: 6th Global Cebu. Hotel accommodations, airport transfers, and tours will be handled by the 6th Global’s Cebu Organizing Committee.
For more information about participating in the 6th Global, contact Lorna Lardizabal Dietz at (415) 508-5326 or Lorna@6thGlobalCebu.com if you are based in the USA and contact Jenny Franco at (63-32) 234-1282 or (63-32) 234 1613 office, (63-32) 234-1463 fax or Jenny@6thGlobalCebu.com if you reside in the Philippines and other countries. Delegates can now register online at http://6thGlobalCebu.com.

CHOICE 1: Copy and paste the this link from Youtube.com. You can also embed the link to any website or blog from the Youtube account.

The Youtube link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z7gowgK1qs

CHOICE 2: Embed the video from Animoto.com (below).

Email Lorna@6thGlobalCebu.com if you have questions.

Use the SCRIBD link below OR send this link to your friends.

Look at the upper right box of our site and you will see a box that says, “GET UPDATES FAST!”

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Here is a visual tour of what happens when you subscribe by email. You can also click on the link above the document so you can see a larger view of the instructions.

6th Global – How to Get Updates Fast via Email

The Education Forum group from Salinas and Monterey, California at the 3rd Global Filipino Networking Convention had brought these tribal leaders to meet with them. Dado Banatao was one of the resource speakers. Present at the forum was the president of a local community college in Monterey County, Hartnell College, at the 3rd Global. The convenor: Rodel Rodis (aka the “Father” of the Global Filipino Networking Convention concept).

Dr. Rene Lacsina, the President and CEO of Abundant Biofuels Philippines, is also the Vice President and Chief Agronomist of Abundant Biofuels.

Rene Lacsina Looks Back and Looks Forward

Dr. Lacsina is a results-oriented international agricultural development specialist with demonstrated expertise in sustainable agriculture in tropical, subtropical, temperate and arid land production systems. He is a Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg), and a member of the American Registry of Certified Professionals in Agronomy, Crops and Soils. His proven strengths include research and agribusiness project conceptualization, planning, development, implementation, management and people development in domestic and developing country settings.

Projects have included technology transfer, agribusiness strategies, research and international agriculture development focused specifically on hands-on, field level as well as formal classroom settings. He has proven to be unusually sensitive to people at all economic and socio-cultural levels both domestically and in developing countries.

For more about Dr. Lacsina’s work, please go to www.AbundantBiofuels.com.

E-mail: RLacsina@AbundantBiofuels.com

Abundant Biofuels
98 Del Monte Avenue, Suite 205
Monterey, CA 93940

Abundant Biofuels Philippines
12th Floor, Net One Center
26th Street Corner 3rd Avenue
Crescent Park West
Bonifacio Global City
Taguig, Metro Manila