| Established: | June 15, 1980 |
| Chairperson: | Secretary Imelda M. Nicolas |
| Website: | www.cfo.gov.ph |
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) (Filipino: Komisyon para sa mga Pilipino sa Ibayong Dagat, KPID) is an agency of the government of the Philippines under the Office of the President of the Philippines. It was established on 16 June 1980 through the proclamation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 79. The agency is responsible for promoting and upholding the interest of Filipino emigrants and Filipino permanent residents in other countries. It is also responsible for preserving and strengthening ties with Filipino communities outside the Philippines. It is headed by the Chairman of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (Filipino: Pinuno ng Komisyon para sa mga Pilipino sa Ibayong Dagat).[1]
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Precursors to the creation of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas include bureaus or programs established through presidential decrees or policies by the Philippine government. The first forerunner of the CFO was the Overseas Employment Development Board that was created through Presidential Decree No. 442 of the Labor Code of the Philippines in 1974. The Board, in turn, set up a systematic program for overseas employment of Filipino workers. Included in the scope of the program was the registration and monitoring of Filipino emigrants heading to other countries. The increase in Filipino migration afterwards resulted to the creation of the Office of Emigrant Affairs (OEA), an independent unit that was created through Presidential Decree No. 1412 in June 1978, in order to provide services specifically to Filipino emigrants. In June 1980, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas was created to replace the Office of Emigrant Affairs through Batas Pambansa Blg. 79 in order to strengthen the policy of the Philippine government regarding the promotion of the welfare and interest of Filipino migrants. Although retaining the mandate of the OEA, the functions of the Commission was expanded.[1]
The main task of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas is to register and provide pre-departure orientation seminars to Filipino emigrants; to promote the transfer of technology, material contributions, and financial contributions of Filipino emigrants from abroad to underserved communities in the Philippines; to provide the younger generation of Filipino overseas with opportunities to learn the history of the Philippines, Filipino culture, Philippine institutions, and the Philippine languages.[1] In accordance with Batas Pambansa Blg. 79, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas is mandated to perform the following duties: [1]