Raffy Tulfo wants unique responsibilities for Commission on Filipinos Overseas

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday wants the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) to have responsibilities for Filipinos abroad “unique” from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

“You have my support pero ang gusto ko lang mayroon kayong bagong responsibilities unique from the DFA, and DMW na tumutulong sa permanent residents sa iba’t ibang bansa,” said Tulfo during the Senate Finance subcommittee hearing on the 2024 proposed budget of the CFO.

(You have my support, but I want you to have new responsibilities that help permanent residents abroad but are unique  from the DFA's and DMW's.)

“Not only as facilitators but monitoring na kapag may mga kababayan sa abroad, na permanent residents na Pilipino, na nahihirapan kumontak sa Pilipinas, may mga kailangan mula sa iba’t ibang ahensiya, that’s when you come in,” he said.

(Not only as facilitators but monitoring. If a Filipino abroad is facing difficulties and cannot contact anyone from the Philippines, then that’s when you come in.)

Established in 1980, the CFO is a commission under the Office of the President responsible for the promotion and protection of the rights, and welfare of Filipinos living overseas while also strengthening their ties to their homeland.

The CFO is also tasked to supervise the operations of the government’s anti-human trafficking hotline as part of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Advocacy and Communication Committee.

“Kung gagamitin ‘yung illegal recruitment nakakalito na po… Dapat meron kayong defined responsibilities na separate sa mga nabanggit ko… Kung may responsibilities na unique para sa inyo lang, e di baka puwede natin mapalakihan ang budget ninyo,” said Tulfo.

(If you are also tasked to curb illegal recruitment then it may be confusing. You should have a defined responsibility different from the DMW and the DFA. If you have such a responsibility, then maybe we can augment your budget.)

The CFO is asking for more than a P162-million budget for 2024 to cater to around 4.8 million Filipinos who are living permanently in other countries.

Other clientele of the commission include Filipinos who were naturalized in other countries, those who have dual citizenship, Filipino spouses and other partners of foreign nationals, descendants of Filipinos overseas, exchange visitor program participants, and Filipino au pairs to Europe.

To improve their services, the commission also proposed the establishment of immigrant service attaché offices in the US, Japan, and Canada.

The Senate panel approved the proposed budget of the CFO and pushed for over P53 million in budget augmentation for the commission. The additional funding would be used for the creation of the offices abroad. —DVM/KG, GMA Integrated News