Commission on Filipinos Overseas

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Commission on Filipinos Overseas
Komisyon sa mga Pilipino sa Ibayong Dagat
CFO LOGO New.png
Commission on Filipinos Overseas
Commission overview
FormedJune 16, 1980 (1980-06-16)
Employees79 (2024) [1]
Annual budget₱181.017 million Php (2023) [2]
Commission executive
  • Dante "Klink" Ang II, Secretary & Chairperson
Parent department Office of the President of the Philippines
Website cfo.gov.ph

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO; Filipino : Komisyon sa mga Pilipino sa Ibayong Dagat) is an agency of the government of the Philippines under the Office of the President of the Philippines. CFO was established on June 16, 1980, through the enactment of Batas Pambansa Blg. 79.

Contents

The agency is responsible for promoting and upholding the interests of Filipino emigrants and Filipino permanent residents in countries other than The Philippines. It is also responsible for preserving and strengthening ties with Filipino communities outside the Philippines. It is headed by a Chairperson who is bestowed with a Cabinet rank of Secretary. [3]

Currently, Dante "Klink" Ang II leads the commission as its secretary and chairperson.

History

Evolution of CFO.jpg

Functions

Constituents

CFO Offices

CFO's principal office is located in Pasay City. It has extension offices in Cebu, Baguio, Davao and Cagayan De Oro and maintains an assistance desk in NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 (departure area). The CFO may be reached thru the following contact information:

Programs and Services

PESO Sense

The Philippine Financial Freedom Campaign: In line with the national development goal of financial inclusion, CFO has specifically put a focus on the financial literacy of overseas Filipinos and their families. The program was launched to develop or enhance personal strategies, skills and knowledge in attaining financial freedom. This nationwide Financial Literacy Campaign seeks to achieve its main objective of improving financial literacy by promoting productive expenditures, greater savings and entrepreneurship among overseas Filipinos and the beneficiaries of their remittances.

Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD)

Ugnayan: Through the Ugnayan Series

CFO engaged with several Filipino community organizations and leaders in countries with large concentrations of overseas Filipinos particularly the United States. It was an opportunity for the CFO to reach out to overseas Filipinos (organizations, media, civil society, etc.) to discuss various ways of diaspora engagement for the home country’s development.

Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO)

The Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) is a biennial awards program administered by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). It recognizes exceptional individuals and organizations abroad for their outstanding contributions to Philippine development, philanthropy, and the promotion of Filipino culture and heritage. [4]

The awards were established under Executive Order No. 498 (1992), which institutionalized a mechanism to honor overseas Filipinos and organizations that have made significant contributions to national progress. [5]

The program includes the Pamana ng Pilipino, Banaag, Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL), and Kaanib ng Bayan awards. [6] The selection process is managed by the CFO through a multi-stage evaluation and vetting procedure, with final approval by the President of the Philippines. [7]

In 2024, thirteen recipients from nine countries were announced and later honored at Malacañan Palace. [8]

Selected recipients

  • Pamana ng Pilipino: Larry E. Carumba (Saudi Arabia, 2024); Jane Y. Gerardo-Abaya (Austria, 2024); Roberto Eusebio R. Lavides (Canada, 2024); Melvin J. Sanicas (Switzerland, 2024). [8]
  • Banaag: Elvy G. Barroso (USA, 2024); Elvira A. Dela Cruz (Morocco, 2024). [8]
  • Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL): Philippine Nurses Association of New York, Inc. (USA, 2024); Neurosurgery Outreach Foundation, Inc. (USA, 2024); Leo-Felix M. Jurado (USA, 2024). [8]
  • Kaanib ng Bayan: Bader Ahmed J. Al Zafeen (United Arab Emirates, 2024); Victor Gaina (Moldova, 2024). [8]
  • Other notable past recipients: Maria Lea Carmen (Lea) Salonga (Pamana ng Pilipino, 2014); Michael Cinco (Pamana ng Pilipino, 2014); Temasek Foundation Ltd. (Kaanib ng Bayan, 2020–2022). [9]

Board of Commissioners

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas is composed of the following Board of Commissioners per Executive Order #: 373, s. 2004:

As of September 2024

References

[3]

  1. ↑ Department of Budget and Management. "Staffing Summary Fiscal Year 2025" (PDF). Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  2. ↑ Commission on Filipinos Overseas
  3. 1 2 "About Us | Commission on Filipinos Overseas". cfo.gov.ph. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  4. ↑ "About the Presidential Awards". Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Executive Order No. 498, s. 1992". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Award Categories". Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Selection Process". Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Celebrating the Best of the Filipino Diaspora: CFO Announces Recipients of the 2024 PAFIOO". Commission on Filipinos Overseas. November 14, 2024. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Awardees (1991–2024)". Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  10. ↑ Gita Carlos, Ruth Abbey Gita (October 18, 2024). "PBBM names Dante Ang II as new CFO chair". Philippine News Agency . Retrieved October 18, 2024.

14°34′38.17″N120°59′48.67″E / 14.5772694°N 120.9968528°E / 14.5772694; 120.9968528

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