24 November 2004, New York, NY -   The  Philippine Consulate General in New York hosted  a  meeting between  representatives of Ayala Foundation, Inc., (AFI)  and  members of the  Filipino community  at the  Philippine Center in New York on 12 November.  The meeting was held to brief the community on the various social and development programs of the Foundation as it responds to the complex needs  of the  Filipinos in recent times. Mr. Fernando Zobel de Ayala,  Chairman of the Foundation,  conducted the briefing. He was assisted by Ms. Victoria P. Garchitorena, President of the Foundation.

During the briefing, Mr. Zobel de Ayala explained that "AFI is a non-stock. non-profit organization, which serves as the socio-cultural development of the Ayala Group of Companies." He also said that "through various social development and cultural projects, AFI hopes to extend the benefits of recent technological developments to the cultivation of Filipino ingenuity and talent as well the preservation of our rich culture, history and traditions."   One of these projects is the Youth Tech Project, which Ms. Garchitorena explained as AFI's means of providing public secondary schools in the Philippines with computers, software, local area networks, internet connection and teacher training.   "By increasing the global competitiveness of our public high school students, they will have a bigger chance to obtain employment and contribute to the economic development of the country," Ms. Garchitorena added.

The Foundation has also embarked on a brain-gain program. Ms. Garchitorena said the program aims to reverse the negative effects of the emigration of Filipino professionals and skilled workers to industrialized countries, commonly referred to as brain drain. "Through the program, the Foundation identifies and invites Filipinos abroad who are willing to come back to the Philippines for short- or long-term projects to help accelerate the country's socio-economic development," Ms. Garchitorena explained.  She added that "particular targets are communities and organizations with existing knowledge-transfer programs, and individual professionals as volunteers or semi-volunteers, whose skills and experience can be used to assist non-government organizations, government agencies or start-up projects in the Philippines."

Also during the meeting, Mr. Zobel de Ayala and Ms. Garchitorena spoke about the Ayala Foundation-USA (AF-USA).  Ayala Foundation USA was established in 2000 "to provide Filipinos in the US with an effective mechanism for philanthropic giving to support social development initiatives in the Philippines."  Registered with the US Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, AF-USA was launched at the 2000 National Congress of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Donations through AF- USA are deductible from income taxes in the U.S.

True to form, AF-USA has served as the conduit of many a Filipino organization and individuals for their donations to the Philippines since its establishment in 2000. AF-USA ensures that the donations of these organizations and individuals are utilized for the right purpose and are handled by the right groups, and that the donors are properly given feedback on how their resources are used and what impact and effects are created by such donations.

Consul General Rebong, who hosted the meeting, thanked Mr. Zobel de Ayala for choosing to meet with the Filipino community in Northeast USA.  She said, "the meeting provided the community with a deeper understanding of how Ayala Foundation operates."  Often, many individuals and groups in the Filipino community are hesitant to donate, or continue donating, to the Philippines out of fear that their contributions will just go to the wrong people or that they will not be able to avail themselves of tax exemption in the United States.  "The meeting assured the community that their donations are safe and will reach their intended beneficiaries.  We were also properly informed that donations to the Philippines can be coursed through Ayala Foundation-USA which enjoys a 501 (c)(3) privilege in the U.S." Consul General Rebong said. END