CFO to develop specialized support mechanism for LGBTQIA+ Filipinos living abroad

The Philippine government’s commitment to inclusive governance will now extend to specialized support for LGBTQIA+ Filipinos abroad.

Officials from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs met Thursday, Feb. 12, at the CFO’s Pasay City office to explore collaborative programs, specifically focusing on developing specialized guidance counseling for same-sex couples in the diaspora. 

This initiative directly links to the CFO’s core mission of providing pre-departure education and integration support to all departing Filipinos, ensuring their welfare regardless of orientation or identity.

The meeting was led by CFO Undersecretary Ma. Arlene S. Borja and DSWD Undersecretary Elen De Vibar Pasion of the Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs, with Assistant Secretary Cynthia C. Kim also attending. The DSWD committee was created under a 2023 executive order to reinforce the government's diversity and inclusion program.

During the session, Mhin Gunabe of the CFO’s Migrant Integration and Education Division presented data on CFO registrants, including statistics on same-sex couples. This data spurred discussions on the need for more responsive government services.

A key proposal that emerged was the creation of a customized Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP) for emigrating same-sex couples. 

The CFO would lead the implementation, with the DSWD Special Committee providing policy support to ensure the program is rights-based and responsive to the specific needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Both agencies affirmed their dedication to ensuring that government programs for overseas Filipinos are equitable and inclusive.

About the Commission on Filipinos Overseas

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), established under Batas Pambansa 79, is dedicated to the welfare and empowerment of Filipinos permanently residing abroad. It is distinct from the Department of Migrant Workers, which primarily addresses the needs of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and other temporary migrants.

The CFO, which is an agency under the Office of the President, works to strengthen the social, economic, and cultural ties of global Filipinos with their home country. Its primary stakeholders include Filipino permanent migrants, dual citizens, spouses and partners of foreign nationals, individuals under the Exchange Visitor Program, au pair participants bound for Europe, and Filipino descendants overseas.

For more information, please contact Atty. Jan Karlo Magracia of the Office of the  Secretary at jkmagracia@cfo.gov.ph.