THE Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has been designated as the lead policy agency for the country’s first “Continuing Care Retirement Community” (CCRC), a landmark project aimed at providing long-term care and a sustainable home for aging members of the Philippine diaspora.
The role was cemented on Wednesday with the signing of a multi-sectoral memorandum of agreement at the CFO headquarters in Pasay City.
CFO Chairman Secretary Dante Ang II said that the agreement establishes a strategic partnership between the CFO, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), nonprofit Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiatives Inc., the Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC) and the US-based National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA).
Ang said the pilot CCRC will be developed in San Pablo City, Laguna, chosen for its favorable climate, proximity to hospitals and scenic environment.
He said the project is envisioned as a “social enterprise,” encouraging overseas Filipinos to invest in and eventually own and manage the facilities.
Under the agreement, the CFO will spearhead policy coordination centered on three key strategies: leveraging its global diaspora network to connect professionals and investors; advocating for “brain gain” by recruiting health care workers abroad to manage the facility; and serving as the main institutional link for returnees seeking a secure and “environment-friendly” community.
“Every Filipino who gave their strength to the world should always find a home for care, pride and purpose in the Philippines,” Ang said.
Other partners will contribute specialized expertise. Atikha will develop a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-accredited health care training center, while the DMW will focus on reintegrating returning overseas workers. SIDC will handle land acquisition, and NaFFAA will lead awareness and investment campaigns in the Filipino American community.
The parties will form a Technical Working Group and Joint Secretariat to oversee planning and implementation, aligning the project with global objectives for safe, dignified return and reintegration.
The CFO, an agency under the Office of the President, is distinct from the DMW and is mandated to serve Filipinos permanently residing abroad, including dual citizens and spouses of foreign nationals.