Facebook to help train OFWs in setting up digital businesses

FACEBOOK Philippines will partner with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to provide training in small businesses management and online literacy for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“OFWs use Facebook to connect with their friends and loved ones back home,” according to Clair Deevy, Facebook’s Director of Community Affairs for the Asia Pacific.

“Together with OWWA we want to help OFWs to have a positive and authentic experience online, and gain business skills that would help their families and communities,” she added.

OWWA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac said that the agency hopes cooperation with Facebook will help “uplift the quality of life of our modern day heroes — both through digital literacy and small business training.”

Departing OFWs will be offered a one-hour module in digital literacy, in which Facebook hopes to train them to safeguard their privacy and safety online, and be more aware of fake news.

“We recognize that when we used to teach digital literacy, it was just learning how to use the computer. Now digital literacy is how do you understand all this information coming out here,” Ms. Deevy said.

OWWA and Facebook will also provide digital marketing workshops to prepare OFWs to set up their own businesses.

“We wanted to go one step further by not only providing these skills but also to create opportunities when they come back to the Philippines,” Ms. Deevy said. “We’ll now be partnering with OWWA in training more than 1,500 OFWs on how to start a business online with Facebook.”

She added, “Facebook has a series of modules that could help you start a business like how to start a page, how to take good picture of your products, and how to attract an audience and how to get a business started, and we do that by having trainers based in the Philippines. We’ll now be working with OWWA to provide training with the OWWA staff.” The programs can be accessed at www.pilipinas.

fb.com or www.owwa.gov.ph. —