MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Secretary Dante Ang II on Tuesday said the non-resident Filipinos (NRFs) have emerged as a "vital source" of the country's soft power and international influence.
Ang pointed this out during the 2026 Fiiipino Diaspora Summit attended by about 350 NRFs from almost 30 countries. He said the six million NRFs worldwide put the Philippines "in the radar of foreign governments."
"Their professional achievements, community leadership, and success stories have turned them into unofficial ambassadors of the country, exemplifying the Filipino brand of excellence," Ang said.
Ang said the CFO was set to launch a new program where the agency woukd partner with NRFs more directly.
"We have been holding public consultations on the feasibility of designating honorary diaspora representatives or HDRs who will serve as non-diplomatic community-based entities, dedicated to the cause of the diaspora engagement for the Philippine national development," he said.
There are 10.8 million Filipinos overseas, about 60 percent of this total comprises, the NRFs.
NRFs include citizens, permanent residents, marriage migrants, professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, educators, innovators, public servants, and community leaders across more than 200 countries and territories.
"For many years conversations about Filipinos abroad often centered on remittances. However we recognize that our NRFs are more than just economic actors," Ang said.
The CFO chairman said that the NRFs were "also active partners in national development bringing invaluable experience Innovation and global innovation to our shores."
"They share knowledge, create global networks and build businesses, preserve and promote Filipino heritage, and, and influence, international conversations serving as ambassadors of the Filipino spirit around the world," he added.
