The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) met with Dr. Dean Yang, Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Michigan, today, 30 July 2025, to explore potential research collaboration. This meeting follows Dr. Yangโs courtesy call with Secretary Dante "Klink" Ang II earlier this month.
During the briefing, Ms. Ivy Miravalles of the Migrant Integration and Education Division (MIED) presented the CFOโs core pre-departure programs and services for migrating Filipinos. These include the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) for emigrants, the Peer Counseling Program (PCP) for youth migrants, the Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP) for marriage migrants, and the Country Familiarization Seminar (CFS) for au pairs bound for Europe. These programs equip Filipino migrants with essential knowledge and tools to help them integrate in their destination countries.
Ms. Miravalles also discussed the Community Education Program (CEP), an annual nationwide campaign that reaches prospective migrants at the grassroots level. She also highlighted the Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) program, which supports overseas Filipinos in distress, and the 1343 Action Line Against Human Trafficking, a 24/7 helpline that responds to assistance requests and referrals involving trafficking victims. These programs are part of the CFOโs mandates as a member of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and as Chair of its Advocacy and Communications Committee (ADVOCOM).
Ms. Kristine Joy Gacer of the Program Management Division (PMD) discussed the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP), a cultural exchange program of the United States in which the Philippines is a participating country. She also highlighted the CFOโs diaspora engagement efforts, including the Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL), a mechanism for transferring resources from overseas Filipinos to support small-scale, high-impact development projects in the Philippines; the BaLinkBayan (BLB) project, a one-stop online platform that facilitates diaspora involvement in local development through investments, donations, and skills transfers; Philippine Schools Overseas (PSOs) that address the educational needs of children of overseas Filipinos and assist in their reintegration into the Philippine educational system upon return; and the Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD), a cultural immersion program for Filipino youth born or raised abroad to help them rediscover their Filipino heritage.
Ms. Gacer also mentioned other initiatives, such as the Month of Overseas Filipinos (MOF) celebrated every December; the Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Awards, which recognizes media practitioners and institutions for raising awareness and promoting a positive image of Filipino migrants; the Overseas Filipino Centenarian Program, which provides cash incentives and letters of felicitation from the President to Filipinos abroad reaching milestone ages; PESO Sense, a financial literacy program that helps overseas Filipinos and their families develop or improve strategies for financial freedom; and the Virtual Sentro Rizal, a digital collection of Filipiniana resources curated by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Mr. Rodrigo Garcia, Jr. of the Policy, Planning, and Research Division (PPRD) discussed the CFOโs policy work and research efforts. He highlighted the Commissionโs contributions to several landmark laws, including Republic Acts 10868, 10906, 9189, 9225, and 10364. He also introduced the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO), a biennial award that recognizes outstanding contributions of overseas Filipinos to national development and professional excellence.
Mr. Garcia also presented the Compendium of CFO Statistics, an annual publication that consolidates data on registered Filipino migrants and provides insights into the Commissionโs programs and initiatives.
Dr. Yang expressed keen interest in the CFOโs programs with economic dimensions, particularly the LINKAPIL, BaLinkBayan, and PESO Sense, and raised questions on program reach and the number of diaspora-linked small businesses established in the Philippines. He also inquired about the CFOโs collaboration with Go Negosyo, an initiative of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE), which promotes entrepreneurship as a pathway to alleviate poverty.
Dr. Yang was accompanied by his graduate students, Ms. Triana Yentzen, Mr. Saheel Chodavadia, and Mr. Alexander Jakob Fertig, as well as Ms. Isha Cruz of the Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Philippines. Also present at the meeting were Ms. Angeli Louise Cando and Ms. Darlene May San Juan from the CFOโs Policy, Planning, and Research Division.
