The Philippine diaspora is one of the largest in the world

The Philippine diaspora is one of the largest in the world

The Philippine diaspora is one of the largest in the world with more than 10 million overseas Filipinos whose strong presence has made a mark in more than 200 countries, some with the strangest of cultures and even the harshest of climates. After the global pandemic brought about by COVID-19, migration figures have gradually returned with an increasing number of Filipinos continuing to leave the Philippines to work and settle permanently abroad.

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas, an agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines and one of the several migrant-serving agencies, has been providing pre-departure services to our Filipino emigrants, marriage migrants, US Exchange Visitor Program participants, and au pairs. Our clientele are mostly bound for the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, South Korea, United Kingdom, Spain, and Germany – countries that need human resources and have pathways for family reunification and skills migration.

The protection of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and overseas Filipinos is one of the priority agenda of President Ferdinand “Bong-bong” R. Marcos Jr.’s administration as stated in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. With my recent appointment by the President as Secretary and Chairperson of the Commission, I vow to ensure the welfare and well-being of our clientele, and at the same time, help strengthen their linkage and partnership with the motherland.

Known as our “modern-day heroes”, our overseas Filipinos have been our partners for change and development, significantly contributing to our economy thru their foreign remittances, philanthropy assistance, and transfer of knowledge and skills. They also contribute greatly to their host country, while also serving as our nation’s ambassadors of goodwill. For their sacrifices, hard work, and valuable role in nation-building, they deserve nothing less but our salute and recognition.

Aside from our frontline services, the Commission has a myriad of programs that aim to honor our overseas Filipinos, strengthen ties with the Filipino communities overseas, and harness their contributions to aid underserved communities in the Philippines. We assist Philippine schools overseas and provide younger generations of Filipinos overseas with opportunities to learn Philippine history and culture. Our welfare assistance program covers anti-trafficking initiatives and assistance to national cases. We are also a champion in mainstreaming migration and development at the local level, and capacitating local government units in developing their own one-stop online portal for diaspora engagement. We regularly provide policy inputs and assistance to the executive and legislative branches of the government in the formulation of policies and measures concerning or affecting Filipinos overseas.