Microsoft sets up OFW training centers in Italy

By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net
Posted date: June 24, 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Microsoft Corp. is looking to enable overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Italy to gain basic computer skills and communicate with families back home in the Philippines with the aid of technology.
Under a project called Tulay (a Filipino word for "bridge"), Microsoft said it will add OFW training centers in the cities of Rome and Milan.

Started in 2004, Microsoft has set up training centers in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, countries that have a sizable population of OFWs. The company is working with the government on this initiative through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

These centers aim to teach OFWs basic computer applications (such as word processing, email) and provide facilities for them to communicate with families through videoconferencing or instant messaging.

Similarly, Microsoft has established facilities locally to accommodate families of OFWs. These centers are located in Pasay City, Metro Manila and in the provinces of Cebu, and with the latest expansion, in Zamboanga and Bicol.

Tulay is part of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential global initiative that seeks to provide technology skills for underserved communities. The company said it has donated about P4 million in cash and P3 million worth of software and training services in the project.

According to government statistics, some 7.4 million OFWs pour in about $8 billion per year in remittances to the Philippines. An estimated 2,500 Filipinos leave for work abroad every year.