THE Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) showcased its key programs and initiatives for overseas Filipinos during the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI) Grand Luzon Assembly on Wednesday at Brentwood Suites in Quezon City.
Speaking before church leaders and migration stakeholders, CFO Chairman Secretary Dante Ang II outlined the agency’s efforts to strengthen engagement with Filipinos living abroad through political, cultural and economic initiatives.
Ang emphasized the commission’s role in helping overseas Filipinos remain connected to the Philippines by facilitating access to retirement, investment and business opportunities. He cited the CFO’s partnerships with the Philippine Retirement Authority, the Philippine Stock Exchange, and the Securities and Exchange Commission to provide nonresident Filipinos with retirement options, investment information and streamlined processes for establishing businesses in the country.
He also highlighted several flagship programs designed to support Filipinos overseas and their families, which include Peso Sense, a financial literacy program for nonresident Filipinos and initiatives that provide educational support to the families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Ang underscored the commission’s frontline services which offer guidance on settlement, integration and assimilation in host countries.
The CFO also has a key role in combating human trafficking, as chairman of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking–Advocacy and Communications Committee.
The assembly served as a venue for other government agencies to present their programs for migrant workers and overseas Filipinos. Among those who attended were Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia, Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan and Quezon City Public Employment Service Office head Rogelio Reyes.
The CBCP-ECMI Grand Luzon Assembly brings together church and government stakeholders to discuss issues affecting migrants, OFWs and their families, while strengthening collaboration in providing pastoral care, protection and support services for Filipino communities at home and abroad.
