SINGAPORE (November 9, 2025)—More than 100 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Singapore are now a step closer to becoming agripreneurs after taking part in the “Usapang Agribiz: Forum on Agribusiness Opportunities in Philippine Livestock and Poultry” held on November 9, 2025, at AIA Alexandra.
The event helped equip OFWs with practical tools, success models, and access to government programs designed to turn their savings into sustainable agribusiness ventures.
Organized by the Department of Agriculture – Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), in collaboration with the Philippine Agriculture Office in Bangkok, the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), with support from the Philippine Embassy in Singapore, the forum formed part of the Overseas Filipino Workers Reintegration Preparedness Fair.
The initiative builds on the partnership between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 4, 2024. The collaboration aims to help OFWs and their families start agribusinesses through training, mentorship, and financing under the National Reintegration Program.
Aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of empowering OFWs as drivers of food security and rural progress, Usapang Agribiz showcased how agribusiness can serve as a bridge home for thousands of overseas Filipinos in Singapore—now numbering over 220,000.
The forum gathered 110 OFWs and community leaders who learned about profitable opportunities in livestock and poultry, government support mechanisms, and firsthand experiences from young agripreneurs.
In her opening remarks, Agriculture Attaché Annalyn Lopez-Jamora reaffirmed the DA’s commitment to helping OFWs turn hard-earned savings into productive investments.
Welfare Officer Florencio Teves III and Labor Attaché Haney Lynn Siclot welcomed participants, with Mr. Teves expressing hopes of making Usapang Agribiz an annual event.
Philippine Ambassador to Singapore H.E. Medardo G. Macaraig encouraged OFWs to explore livestock ventures, citing agriculture’s vital role in ensuring food security and national development.
Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) awardees Leon Vincent Paraguya of Wagling Cattle Enterprise (Region 10) and Kristin Angela B. Yap of Le Reinvente (Region 3) shared their success stories, proving that with determination and government support, agripreneurship can thrive.
Experts from the Bureau of Animal Industry, National Livestock Program, Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) discussed investment, training, and financing opportunities tailored for OFWs.
DA-AMAS pledged sustained mentoring, technical guidance, and market linkages to help participants pursue their agribusiness goals.
On the sidelines, the Philippine Agriculture Office joined the Singapore International Agri-Food Week and Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia, and conducted market scans at Tekka and Tiong Bahru Wet Markets, identifying new opportunities for Philippine produce.
Usapang Agribiz stands as a milestone in the government’s drive to transform OFWs into key partners in agricultural growth—proving that agribusiness is not just possible, but a promising path toward a food-secure and inclusive Philippines. ### (By John Romar Pedrigal, Agribusiness & Marketing Assistance Service)
