'Tis the season for Pinoy homecoming

MANILA, Philippines - The Mandaluyong Children’s Choir performs in a special Christmas concert to welcome balikbayan at the  Greenbelt 3 Park in Ayala Center, Makati City. Pasko sa Paraiso is part of the Pinoy Homecoming Program spearheaded by the Department of Tourism in partnership with Globe Telecoms and supported by Duty Free Philippines and over 700 partner-merchants nationwide. Other performers were the Manila Symphony Orchestra, Rachel Gerodias, the Angelos, Banda Kawayan and the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir.  Pinoy Homecoming is part of the government’s efforts to boost visitor arrivals from the balikbayan market by 25 percent in the next five years. It targets Filipinos based overseas, not only in the US and Canada but also worldwide.  Under Presidential Proclamation No. 181, the years 2011 to 2016 are declared as the Pinoy Homecoming Years.  It was signed on June 3, 2011 and supports Republic Act No. 6768, as amended, or the Balikbayan Program. Under the program, overseas Filipinos are given special privileges and benefits in recognition of their contribution to the growth of the Philippine economy in terms of foreign exchange inflow and remittances.  For details, log on to  www.pinoyhomecoming.ph.