Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairman Dante Ang II emphasized the often-overlooked contributions of permanent Filipino migrants to national development, noting that their support—especially through remittances—may surpass that of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Speaking on The Manila Times’ “Newsmakers” program, Ang pointed out that over 60 percent of the estimated 10.8 million Filipinos abroad are permanent migrants, many of whom reside in countries like the United States. Despite their long-standing impact, he lamented that these Filipinos still do not receive the recognition they deserve.
“I would think this has to be borne out by a formal study, but my gut sense would say that much of the remittances might come from the overseas migrants,” Ang said, while still acknowledging the well-established contributions of OFWs, often referred to as modern-day heroes.
Ang, who lived in North America for 14 years, shared his personal insight into the mindset of many Filipinos overseas, saying, “I know for a fact that Filipinos abroad would not turn their backs to their country.”
He reiterated the CFO’s core mission—promoting the welfare and empowerment of permanent Filipino residents abroad—while stressing the need to highlight their quiet but consistent support of the Philippines. “There is this sector — overseas Filipinos — that are already helping without any government incentives or interventions,” he noted.
The CFO, created under Batas Pambansa 79 during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., continues to evolve under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who, according to Ang, also acknowledged the role of overseas Filipinos in the agency’s recent 45th anniversary celebration.
Distinct from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which primarily caters to OFWs and temporary migrants, the CFO focuses on long-term Filipino residents overseas, dual citizens, foreign spouses, children of Filipinos, and participants in cultural and exchange programs.
In the same interview, Ang revealed ongoing efforts to streamline coordination among CFO, DMW, and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) by creating a unified database of all Filipino migrants, including OFWs. “We have three government agencies… but they all have separate databases, and they’re not interconnected,” he said, adding that the Philippine Statistics Authority has been tasked with data consolidation. “This has been a problem for more than a decade, and it’s a good thing that we’re talking and trying to resolve this.”
Ang also noted that the CFO is monitoring developments in the U.S., particularly the deportation-related policies under President Donald Trump’s administration. He assured that Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez remains proactive in supporting the Filipino community there. “They just need to go and ask for assistance,” Ang said.
