LINKING HOME. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) on Wednesday (Aug. 28, 2024) launches the two-day BaLinkBayan Stakeholders Conference in Alabang, Muntinlupa. CFO Secretary Leo Arugay said the event would help streamline and bring the agency's services down to the local government to help Filipino emigrants access government services. (PNA photo by Marita Moaje)
MANILA – The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is planning to put up four new offices abroad to assist overseas Filipinos or emigrants.
During the BaLinkBayan Stakeholders Conference on Wednesday in Alabang, Muntinlupa, CFO Secretary Leo Arugay said there is a government agency that is mandated to look after the needs and welfare of overseas Filipinos or emigrants, who have decided to leave the country and live abroad.
Arugay said they are eyeing establishing offices in the United States, Canada, Switzerland and Australia.
“Sa ngayon Japan pa lang ang ina allow sa amin. I hope makapagtayo tayo ng apat service emigrant office. Yung target ko ay (Right now, we have been allowed in Japan. I hope we can establish office in Los Angeles or New York (USA), Toronto (Canada), Bern, Switzerland, and Sydney, Australia),” he said.
He added CFO has satellite offices in Cebu and Danao cities in Visayas and Baguio City in Luzon.
An estimated 5 Filipino emigrants live in more than 200 countries, many in temporary and irregular statuses.
Arugay said most Filipino emigrants are in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and Italy.
He urged them to register with CFO to avail of its services.
BaLinkBayan, connecting OFs to their motherland
Arugay said the BaLinkBayan program of the CFO offers a one-stop online portal for Filipino diaspora engagement.
He said the program links OFs to social and economic development initiatives in the Philippines and its various localities wherever they may be in the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Serving as a one-stop online portal for diaspora engagement, CFO’s BaLinkBayan provides an array of options for overseas Filipinos to partner with national and local governments in starting a business, opportunities for donation and volunteer service, and accessing online government services,” Arugay said. (PNA)
