Protection gaps and shifting migration routes are pushing the Commission on Filipinos Overseas to deepen its engagement in Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova, where the number of Filipino spouses has been climbing steadily in recent years.
CFO chairperson Secretary Dante “Klink” Ang II held talks with Philippine Embassy officials in Bucharest to assess conditions on the ground and map out expanded cooperation across the three countries. Ambassador Noel Servigon and Consul Iris Caranzo briefed the CFO chief on the growing Filipino spouse population in the region, along with protection concerns that have begun to surface.
Among the issues flagged were cases bearing trafficking indicators and complaints from Filipino student interns in Bulgaria who may have arrived under incorrectly classified visa categories — a pattern that has drawn the agency’s attention to loopholes in how some migrants enter non-traditional destination countries.
The CFO, operating under Batas Pambansa 79, is mandated to assist Filipinos departing under marriage or family reunification arrangements. It administers the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar and the Guidance and Counseling Program, which prepare migrants on legal rights, cultural adjustment, and available protection channels abroad. Philippine Statistics Authority and Department of Foreign Affairs data show that Filipino women make up a significant portion of those leaving annually as marriage migrants, with Europe accounting for an increasing share.
Ang said the agency would pursue tighter coordination with the DFA, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and other concerned bodies to close gaps and build stronger safeguards for Filipinos in the region. The CFO’s anti-trafficking work includes stricter counseling protocols and the red-flagging of suspicious cases flagged through its foreign post network.
The Bucharest meeting also covered diaspora giving. Embassy officials shared a directory of Filipino organizations under their jurisdiction to support the CFO’s LINKAPIL Program, which directs overseas Filipino donations toward development initiatives back home. The Embassy recommended broadening the program’s reach within DFA channels, including migration-focused offices, to increase participation.
