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WINNER is a UNDP programme financed by the Italian Cooperation for Development (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and executed by Devnet Association, NGO, Consultant Category 1 of the United Nations.

Women members of families of Philippine diplomats and representatives of Filipino migrant workers’ networks recently joined the one-day seminar on small business franchising as possible investment option to put to productive use overseas Filipino Workers’ remittances to their families. Leading franchisors presented several successful Philippine franchises as models for business start-ups and options for small investment.

According to Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, an average of 2,900 Filipino workers leave daily for employment abroad, with majority of them land-based workers and only about 700 as seamen.

It is to be noted that 63 percent of overseas Filipino workers are women. Filipino migrant workers sent to the Philippines 12.8 billion dollars in remittances in 2006, 20 percent more than in 2005. In 2007, they remitted about 14.7 billion dollars.

An international workshop on environment-friendly, binderless coconut boards (eco-cocoboards) drew industrialists, researchers, scientists, technology developers, business leaders from the international community to a comprehensive discussion and exchange of ideas on the latest technology innovation and experiences in the use of coconut waste materials, specifically coconut husk. Coconut fibers, extracted from coconut husk, are raw materials for processing coconut boards for commercial and industrial applications.

Finding applications for relatively low-value material coconut fiber or coir can greatly contribute to providing economic benefits for low-income producers in rural communities. In most coconut growing countries, coir as by-product of coconut production is regarded as waste material.