Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families who trooped to the SM Mall of Asia to attend Go Negosyo’s Balik-Bayan Summit 2024 last December 7, 2024 went home with cash and prizes totaling Php3 million given the Go Negosyo, its sponsors, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Office of the First Lady.

The prizes were announced by Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, together with First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, who conveyed President Marcos Jr.’s awarding of Php2 million on top of the cash and prizes given out that day. Among the recipients were three attendees who lined up at the venue as early as 6 p.m. the day before the summit, as well as all the attendees who registered or walked in for the event.

Organized by Go Negosyo, Balik-Bayan 2024 featured informative discussions with industry leaders, inspirational and learning sessions featuring successful entrepreneurs, and free onsite mentorship sessions where OFWs and their families can consult with Go Negosyo mentors about their current or planned businesses.

Concepcion invited the attendees to learn from the sessions and seek guidance from mentors. “We don’t want you to spend your savings without proper mentorship,” he said. “We are here to help you,” as he thanked the OFW families for their sacrifice and support for family members who work overseas.

“Balik-Bayan 2024 is a platform to provide business opportunities and foster investment matches for OFWs, encouraging them toward entrepreneurship and ensuring that their hard work and resources are put to productive and profitable use,” said Joey Concepcion, founder of Go Negosyo.

Joining Concepcion and the First Lady were Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sec. Cris Roque, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac, Commission on Filipinos Overseas Chairman Dante “Klink” Ang, and Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano.

DMW Sec. Cacdac thanked Go Negosyo for organizing the event. “Today is about creating opportunities for collaborations, and to uplift not only OFWs and their families but also the entire Filipino people,” he said.

He  shared that the DMW supports the reintegration of OFWs back into the country through programs for continuous learning and help them retool and upskill. He shared that there are now more than 2,000 beneficiaries of its economic reintegration program and will launch the national reintegration network together with the DTI.

The event also saw the awarding of the 2024 Inspiring Balik-Bayan Awards. The awardees successfully founded their own businesses here in the Philippines. The Inspiring Balik-Bayan Awards is an annual award organized by Go Negosyo to recognize the success stories of OFWs-turned-entrepreneurs, celebrate their achievements, and foster entrepreneurial aspirations among current OFWs.

The event also saw several forums and discussions, including mentoring children in business, preparing for retirement, creating purpose-driven work, financial literacy, platforms for possible OFW businesses including franchising, agripreneurship, and storytelling and content creation as a tool in entrepreneurship.