Atikha is a non-government organization that provides economic and social services to overseas Filipinos and their families in the Philippines. The organization aims to help address the social cost of migration and tap the development potential of migration.

The pilot areas of Atikha are San Pablo City in Laguna and Mabini in Batangas. It is estimated that around 20,000 Filipinos in the US, Canada, Hongkong and Middle East are from San Pablo City. About 5,000 overseas Filipinos, majority of whom are in Rome, Italy, came from the town of Mabini, Batangas.

Atikha was established in 1996. The founding board of Atikha was composed of Msgr. Jerry Bitoon, Mother Stella Cordero, and four Overseas Filipino returnees, Ma. Virginia Melgar, Rebecca Martinez, Serma Chozas and Mai Dizon-Anonuevo.

In the initial years, Atikha focused its work on addressing the social problems brought about by the separation of the Overseas Filipinos and their families. It conducted value formation, summer arts and crafts workshops for the children of overseas Filipinos in San Pablo City, Laguna. It also helped form self-help groups among the children of overseas Filipinos.

In 2001, Atikha did a research on the situation of the overseas Filipino workers, their families and communities. Some of the significant findings of the research were:

• Although overseas migration has raised the standard of living of families, it has not contributed substantially to the economic development of communities.
• Most overseas Filipino workers have no substantial savings despite years of work abroad. A big number of them are caught in the debt trap. There is a dearth of opportunities in their place of origin and in the country as a whole.
• Overseas Filipinos are on the look out for viable enterprises that will support them when they retire or enable their families to have additional income. Unfortunately, most of the business endeavors that overseas Filipinos have established failed. Top

Atikha has developed programs and services that address the economic concerns of the Overseas Filipinos. It helped form Koop Balikabayani International, a credit cooperative organized by overseas Filipinos, returnees and their families. Atikha also organized Batang Atikha Savers Club among the children of the overseas Filipinos and other members of the community. Entrepreneurship workshops and business opportunity seminars are held for the Overseas Filipinos and their families and relatives.
Atikha hopes to create an enabling environment for Overseas Filipino investment and development in its pilot areas. It enjoins the OFWs, their families, the church , the government , the schools and other sectors of the community towards addressing the social cost of migration and in tapping the development potentials of overseas migration in the area of San Pablo City and Mabini Batangas.

In the next three years, Atikha will be working on the following:

• mobilizing overseas Filipino resources for the development of the Overseas Filipinos, their families and communities;
• establishing Overseas Filipino Centers that would provide economic and social services to more Overseas Filipinos, families and members of their communities; and
• assisting in developing enterprises for Overseas Filipino investment .Top

You can visit our offices located @

San Pablo, Laguna :
SPC Women Family and Overseas Filipinos Center
Main Ave. Green Valley Subd. Brgy. San Francisco, San Pablo City
Tele/Fax #: (049)562-3156 /800-0082
Website : www.atikha.org
Email Add : atikha@atikha.org

Mabini, Batangas :
89 J. Panopio Street, Poblacion Mabini, Batangas 4202 Philippines
Tele #: (043)487-1038
Email Address: atikhamb@digitelone.com