COMMISSION on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairman Dante Ang II said the sacrifices of overseas Filipinos (OFs) deserve “more than recognition.”
Ang said government support for OFs or non-resident Filipinos (NRFs) must also translate into better services and meaningful opportunities.
“They deserve a government that listens, responds and creates opportunities,” Ang said during the Month of Overseas Filipinos (MOF) Migrant Fair in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.
“More importantly, we want Filipinos to see that a good life and a promising future are also possible here at home,” he said.
Ang also underscored the contributions of OFs to national development, citing the record $35.63 billion in cash remittances in 2025, alongside diaspora investments and support for Philippine products abroad.
He said the CFO continues to strengthen the economic, political and cultural ties of OFs with the Philippines through programs that promote diaspora participation in community development.
“Wherever you may be, the CFO will continue to stand with you,” Ang told OFs.
The “One Ilocos for Overseas Filipinos” convergence project brought together the MOF Migrant Fair, OWWA Serbisyo Caravan, and BBM-NRN Fair to serve overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), NRFs, returning migrants, and their families.
Ang said the initiative supports the goal of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make migration a choice rather than a necessity by creating comparable opportunities for Filipinos abroad and at home.
