tipón Federation, a federation of cooperatives that represents the largest network of its kind in the Philippines and a recognized leader as the country’s Best Employer for the past three years, is thrilled to announce a significant stride in its mission to connect member workers from LOCAL to GLOBAL opportunities. This advancement follows a successful high-level meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where tipón Federation and its established deployment partner, FGS, were key representatives of the Philippine labor sector.

FGS is the existing tipón Federation partner for global worker deployment, and this meeting officially signals their readiness to deploy quality Filipino workers to clients abroad. This partnership is crucial to the Federation’s goal of providing its member-workers access to the growing international job market, starting with the immense opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

High-Level Dialogue and Partnership Opportunities

The meeting was successfully facilitated by the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, led by H.E. Ambassador Raymond Balatbat. It brought together a delegation from the Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB), spearheaded by Department of Trade and Industry Executive Director Doris U. Gacho, and the senior leadership of AlBawani Group at the company’s headquarters.

Key attendees included:

• tipón Federation: Represented by Michael Gonzalez (tipón Federation President & General Manager) and Richard Bonifacio (incoming FGS President).
• AlBawani Group: Represented by Fakher Alshawaf (Group CEO, Shareholder), Nasser Alshawaf, Feras Alshawar, and Shawaf Alshawaf (Shareholders).
• Ranco Group: Represented by Tami S. Al-Nassar (Board Chairman), Ahmed Alrabia (General Manager), Fahad R. Airabiah (Investment Director), and Abdullatif Khalid Alrablah (General Manager).

The dialogue provided both the Philippine delegation and AlBawani’s executive team with an opportunity for constructive exchanges on potential collaboration and business linkages within the Kingdom’s expanding infrastructure landscape. Discussions highlighted the shared interest of both nations in deepening private-sector engagement and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.

The Power of Philippine Cooperative Labor

The Philippine delegation in attendance was a powerful showcase of the country’s construction ecosystem. tipón Federation, as the Philippines' largest federation of cooperatives—and the only cooperative body represented in this delegation—has a proven track record of providing highly-skilled labor to the most reputed contractors in the Philippines, including EEI, which was also represented in the delegation.

tipón and its established partner, FGS, represent the "People" that would make things happen. tipón’s extensive network of quality, highly-trained Filipino workers from its member cooperatives, coupled with FGS’s expertise in ethical and efficient deployment, ensures that future clients abroad will receive the very best of Philippine manpower. This initiative is a testament to the dedication of Filipino workers and the Federation's commitment to their global mobility.

Looking Ahead: Cityscape Global 2025

The Philippine delegation’s activities will continue as they are also set to participate in the prestigious Cityscape Global 2025 Convention in Riyadh, happening from November 17-20, 2025. This convention will serve as another key platform to promote the capabilities of the Philippine construction and labor sectors, further opening doors for tipón and FGS to solidify international partnerships.