Hotel Catalonia Berna, Barcelona, 19-20 September 2009 - 3-4 October 2009

Hotel Gaudi, Madrid, 26-27 September 2009 - 17-18 October 2009

In Spain, the MAPID training programs were implemented and managed by Dr. Edelia Villarroya Soler of the University of Valencia in cooperation with the Scalabrini Migration Center (SMC) and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).

Program of the Training Sessions

The training programs were organized in three sessions divided into different modules. The sessions were distributed in 4 days, two weekends (Saturday and Sunday) to facilitate the participation of the target attendants. The training programs were organized in a live-out setting. The MAPID training programs in Barcelona and Madrid followed the following curriculum:

1 Introduction 

• The MAPID Project

• Understanding of international migration and development nexus: increase independency, sustainable development, co-development

• Presentation of major findings of MAPID research activities in Italy and the Philippines

• Presentation of major findings of MAPID research activities in Spain

2. Strengthening of the organization

• Human resources: conflict mediation, team-work strategies, leadership management, transparency and accountability, communication skills

• Economic/financial management of an organization, accountancy, organizational management and logistics

• Processes of official recognition of Filipino association by local authorities, project development, implementation and evaluation, presentation of funding possibilities from different sources, fundraising

• Network building among Filipino associations and with different actors (Philippine institutions, institutions in Italy/Spain, trade unions, local NGOs, etc.), increase of visibility of Filipino community

3. Migration and Development

• Financial literacy, investment opportunities, remittance channels, savings and special programs and packages for OFWs, insurances, retirement programs, real estates, etc.

• Mapping of different agencies involved with migration and development, presentation of services offered, assessment of practices (workshop), dual citizenship, absentee voting, new structures of consultation of stakeholders

• Culture of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial training, feasibility study capacity, mentorship programs and possibilities, microcredit opportunities and other credit opportunities, social enterprises, programs offered by Italian/Spanish institutions

• Presentation of best practices (e.g. tres por uno) of local development and co-development though networking and trust re-building among different actors

The Training Sessions  

On 19-20 September 2009, the first and second sessions of the training programs in Barcelona were held at the Hotel Catalonia Berna, calle Roger de LLuria 60. On Saturday 19 September 2009, after the registration of the participants, Dr. Edelia Villarroya and Dr. Fabio Baggio delivered the welcome remarks and introduced the MAPID Project. Then the Filipino Consul in Barcelona expressed the support of the Consulate to the initiative. In the first session, Dr. Baggio presented the module “Understanding of international migration and development nexus: increase independency, sustainable development, co-development” and introduced the major findings of MAPID research activities in Italy and the Philippines. Subsequently, Dr. Villarroya presented the major findings of MAPID research activities in Spain. At the end of her talk, an open forum was held to interact with the first two speakers. In the second session, Dr. Maria Cristina Lopez Altschwagher, psychology professor at the University of Valencia, presented the module on “Human resources: conflict mediation, team-work strategies, leadership management, transparency and accountability, communication skills.” Professor Luca Marin, director of the Centre de Documentation et d'Etudes sur les Migrations Internationales in Paris, concluded the first day delivering the module on “Network building among Filipino associations and with different actors (Philippine institutions, institutions in Italy/Spain, trade unions, local NGOs, etc.), increase of visibility of Filipino community.”

On Sunday 20 September 2009, Professor Jesus Garcia Verdugo, president of the Consejo de la Juventud de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, presented the modules on “Economic/financial management of an organization, accountancy, organizational management and logistics” and “Processes of official recognition of Filipino association by local authorities, project development, implementation and evaluation, presentation of funding possibilities from different sources, fundraising.” Sufficient time was provided for several open fora to interact with Professor Garcia Verdugo.

These sessions were attended by 25 participants (100% of the target participants) representing the following Filipino associations: Centro Filipino, Couples for Christ, AFICAT, AMISTAD, Emprededores Filipinos, UBB, BIBAK, SAMAKABA, SMPB, Young Philippines Association, Foundation for Family and Life, Ancop GK, Asociación Filipina de escritores e investigadores en España. The remaining selected candidates dropped out at the last minute due to sudden personal or work commitments.

On 3-4 October 2009, the third session of the training programs in Barcelona was held at the Hotel Catalonia Berna, calle Roger de LLuria 60. On Saturday 3 October 2009, after the registration and the welcome remarks by Dr. Edelia Villarroya, Atty. Golda Roma and Professor Jesus Garcia Verdugo presented the module on “Financial literacy, investment opportunities, remittance channels, savings and special programs and packages for OFWs, insurances, retirement programs, real estates, etc” Subsequently Professor García Verdugo presented the module on “Culture of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial training, feasibility study capacity, mentorship programs and possibilities, microcredit opportunities and other credit opportunities, social enterprises, programs offered by Spanish institutions.” The day concluded with a workshop on “Proposals towards the development of a joint co-development program,” whose facilitation was entrusted to Dr. Edelia Villarroya.

On Sunday 4 October 2009, Dr. Maruja Asis and the Filipino Consul in Barcelona introduced the module on “Mapping of different agencies involved with migration and development, presentation of services offered, assessment of practices, dual citizenship, absentee voting, new structures of consultation of stakeholders.” Then Dr. Maruja Asis and Ms. Juana Martin, representing Caritas Spain, jointly presented the module “Presentation of best practices (e.g. tres por uno) of local development and co-development though networking and trust re-building among different actors.” The day concluded with the presentation of the results of the workshop on “Proposals towards the development of a joint co-development program.” An open discussion chaired by Dr. Edelia Villarroya followed and a list of proposals was commonly agreed upon.

This session was attended by 18 participants (72% of the target participants) representing the following Filipino associations: Centro Filipino, Couples for Christ, AFICAT, AMISTAD, Emprededores Filipinos, UBB, BIBAK, SAMAKABA, SMPB, Young Philippines Association, Foundation for Family and Life, Ancop GK, Asociación Filipina de escritores e investigadores en España.

On 26-27 September 2009, the first and second session of the training programs in Madrid were held at the Hotel Gaudí, Av. Gran Via 9. On Saturday 26 September 2009, after the registration of the participants, Dr. Edelia Villarroya and Dr. Fabio Baggio delivered the welcome remarks and introduced the MAPID Project. In the first session Dr. Baggio presented the module “Understanding of international migration and development nexus: increase independency, sustainable development, co-development” and introduced the major findings of MAPID research activities in Italy and the Philippines. Subsequently, Dr. Villarroya presented the major findings of MAPID research activities in Spain. At the end of her talk, an open forum was held to interact with the first two speakers. In the second session, Dr. Maria Cristina Lopez Altschwagher, psychology professor at the University of Valencia, presented the module on “Human resources: conflict mediation, team-work strategies, leadership management, transparency and accountability, communication skills.” Professor Luca Marin, director the Centre de Documentation et d'Etudes sur les Migrations Internationales in Paris, concluded the first day delivering the module on “Network building among Filipino associations and with different actors (Philippine institutions, institutions in Italy/Spain, trade unions, local NGOs, etc.), increase of visibility of Filipino community.”

On Sunday 20 September 2009, Professor Jesus Garcia Verdugo, president of the Consejo de la Juventud de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, presented the modules on “Economic/financial management of an organization, accountancy, organizational management and logistics” and “Processes of official recognition of Filipino association by local authorities, project development, implementation and evaluation, presentation of funding possibilities from different sources, fundraising.” Sufficient time was provided for several open fora to interact with Professor Garcia Verdugo.

These sessions were attended by 15 participants (60% of the target participants) representing the following Filipino associations: Tahanan, Couples for Christ, AFIMA, Guardianes de la Paz, Associación de los guardianes de Filipinas, Asociación Mujeres Filipinas (AMFIL), Devotos de Peñafrancia, Filipino Professionals. The remaining selected candidates dropped out at the last minute due to sudden personal or work commitments.

On 17-18 October 2009, the third session of the training programs in Madrid was held at the Hotel Gaudí, Av. Gran Via 9. On Saturday 3 October 2009, after the registration and the welcome remarks by Dr. Edelia Villarroya, Atty. Golda Roma and Professor Jesus Garcia Verdugo jointly presented the module on “Financial literacy, investment opportunities, remittance channels, savings and special programs and packages for OFWs, insurances, retirement programs, real estates, etc.” Subsequently Professor García Verdugo presented the module on “Culture of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial training, feasibility study capacity, mentorship programs and possibilities, microcredit opportunities and other credit opportunities, social enterprises, programs offered by Spanish institutions.” The day concluded with a workshop on “Proposals towards the development of a joint co-development program,” whose facilitation was entrusted to Dr. Edelia Villarroya.

On Sunday 4 October 2009, Dr. Maruja Asis and the Filipino Consul in Madrid introduced the module on “Mapping of different agencies involved with migration and development, presentation of services offered, assessment of practices, dual citizenship, absentee voting, new structures of consultation of stakeholders.” Then Dr. Maruja Asis and Ms. Juana Martin, representing Caritas Spain, jointly presented the module “Presentation of best practices (e.g. tres por uno) of local development and co-development though networking and trust re-building among different actors.” The day concluded with the presentation of the results of the workshop on “Proposals towards the development of a joint co-development program.” An open discussion chaired by Dr. Edelia Villarroya followed and a list of proposals was commonly agreed upon.

These sessions were attended by 17 participants (68 percent of the target participants) representing the following Filipino associations: Tahanan, Couples for Christ, AFIMA, Guardianes de la Paz, Associación de los guardianes de Filipinas, Asociación Mujeres Filipinas (AMFIL), Devotos de Peñafrancia, Filipino Professionals.

The training programs in Spain involved an average of 75 percent of the target participants. Only few of the represented Filipino associations were officially registered in Spain; the representatives of the unregistered ones committed in registering their association as soon as possible. Upon the explicit request of the participants, some resource persons offered mentorship for the development and presentation of project proposals. At the end of the third sessions all the participants in Barcelona and Madrid agreed upon a document which summarized their proposals as follows:

• deepening and dissemination of the contents of the training by the participants;

• extension of the MAPID Project to secure mentoring and foster networking;

• organization of courses, seminars and workshops on leadership, legal and labor migration topics;

• newsletter and web space for the newly established network of participants;

• involvement of the Filipino community as a whole (particularly the youth) in the migration and development activities;

• organization of meetings with the participants of the MAPID training activities in Spain and Italy

• establishment of an observatory to monitor the changes within the Filipino community in Spain; and

• promotion of Filipino culture, defense of the dignity of Filipino migrants, fundraising for co-development activities as main objectives of Filipino associations in Spain.

Before the end of the last session of the training program, a questionnaire prepared by the organizers was distributed to all the participants, aiming at assessing the effectiveness of the course. Almost all the respondents agreed with the statement that the information they had received would be relevant in their future work in the Filipino community. The great majority of the respondents expressed their satisfaction about the interactiveness of the training programs. All the respondents said that the MAPID training program met their expectations. Almost all respondents agreed with the statement that the organization of the MAPID training programs was clear and sufficient. The overall assessment of the different modules and resource persons was positive.