CFO says its marriage counseling for migrants open to all genders

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas' (CFO) counseling program for Filipinos and their spouses or partners is open to all genders including those in the LGBTQIA+ community, the agency said Thursday.

“We don't give any distinction with that. For as long as they were granted this kind of status, the visa also, and they're married to a foreign national, no distinction about the gender identity nila at ng kanilang partner [no distinction about their gender identity and that of their partner],” said CFO Senior Emigrant Services Officer Michael Apattad in a discussion with reporters. 

CFO’s guidance and counseling program helps Filipino citizens who are spouses and partners of foreign nationals to understand the psychosocial needs and challenges of migration and intermarriage. 

It also serves as an intervention program for marriage migrants who may be victims of exploitation as the CFO checks on the background of the foreign partners. 

CFO has counseled 18,174 marriage migrants as of 2024. The agency’s data also showed that most of the intermarriages reside in the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom. 

Further, the CFO official said that they are working to account soon for the gender identities of those who are undergoing their counseling program. 

“Doon sa intake forms kasi namin [In our intake forms], we don't have actually that specific area wherein we do ask for their identity, GI [gender identity] for example,” said Apattad. 

“And we're still trying to work on that. Hopefully this year. Because that's part of our mandate also to look into these gender issues also,” he added. — BM, GMA Integrated News