Start a Business
The Start a Business page assists overseas Filipinos to be an entrepreneur.
About
BaLinkBayan
The increasing inflows of remittances from Overseas Filipinos (OFs) served as one of the profound tenacities of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) to convert remittances to more sustainable productive channels through investment and entrepreneurship. Government agencies may have published online business/investment opportunities and priority areas, yet there seem to be a gap between accessing information and utilizing it for productive use.
Thus in 2013, CFO launched the BaLinkBayan as the Overseas Filipinos’ one-stop online portal for diaspora engagement, offering an integrated and unique platform to re-engage with the Philippines through the so-called D2D (Diaspora to Development) program of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). A locally-funded national E-Government Project, the term BaLinkBayan is a play on the Filipino words Balikbayan (returning migrant), balik (return), bayan (country) and the English word “Link,” that refer to the World Wide Web.
Examples of the D2D programs that are parts of the portal are: diaspora philanthropy, medical mission coordination, doing business in the Philippines, tourism initiatives and investment for overseas Filipinos. The portal addresses the concerns of many migrants and their families in investing but would need information and directions to make their money work for them on a sustained basis as there is an absence of a developed government website portal for the purpose of assisting overseas Filipinos to invest in the Philippines.
One Stop Online Portal for Diaspora Engagement
It seeks to bring together 10.24 million Filipinos in the diaspora into an integrated and comprehensive platform that taps into their knowledge, expertise, skills, networks, material and financial resources to contribute to the development of the Philippines.
BaLinkBayan works at two levels. First, it links Overseas Filipinos (OFs) to development-oriented diaspora initiatives in the Philippines and second, it provides options for business and investment opportunities both at the national level and at their respective hometowns. The latter would link, among others, to automated transactional processes at the LGU level.
Donate and Volunteer
The Donate and Volunteer page encourage them to share their fortune and skills with fellow countrymen in need.
Access Online Government Services
The Access Online Government Services page links to national government agencies, while it pilot tests local government services.
Our Mission
BaLinkBayan seeks to provide overseas Filipinos with the most comprehensive online guide for engaging in the development of the Philippines through opportunities in investments, philanthropy, technology expertise and skills exchange, and special government services.
Our Vision
BaLinkBayan aims to strengthen partnerships between overseas Filipinos and local communities, to achieve sustainable and long-term development of rural and urban localities, toward an economically prosperous Philippines.
About Commission on Filipinos Overseas
Established on 16 June 1980 through Batas Pambansa 79, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is an agency of the Philippine Government under the Office of the President tasked to promote and uphold the interests, rights and welfare of overseas Filipinos and strengthen their ties with the Motherland.
The evolution of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas can be traced over a series of policy pronouncements. Presidential Decree No. 442 (Labor Code of the Philippines), which was passed in 1974, created the Overseas Employment Development Board in order to set up a systematic program for the overseas employment of Filipino workers, as well as to register and monitor emigrants leaving for various countries. The following years were characterized by a steady increase in migration, thus making it necessary to establish an independent unit which would constitute a local support network solely for Filipino emigrants. In June 1978, Presidential Decree No. 1412 was passed the Office of Emigrant Affairs (OEA). The decree specifically identified Filipino emigrants as the recipients of its services.
In June 1980, Batas Pambansa Blg. 79 was enacted to strengthen the government’s policy on the promotion of migrant welfare and interest. It created the Commission on Filipinos Overseas which replaced OEA but retained and further expanded its mandate.
The CFO registers and provides pre-departure orientation seminars to emigrants. It also promotes the transfer of technology as well as material and financial contributions from overseas for development projects in underserved communities all over the Philippines. It also provides younger generations of Filipinos overseas with opportunities to learn Philippine history and culture.
Batas Pambansa Blg. 79, mandates the CFO to perform the following functions:
Policy Formulation & Advice
Provide assistance to the President and the Congress of the Philippines in the formulation of policies and measures concerning or affecting Filipinos overseas.
Welfare & Interest Programmes
Develop and implement programmes to promote the interest and well-being of Filipinos overseas.
Preserving Cultural & Economic Ties
Serve as a forum for preserving and enhancing the social, economic and cultural ties of Filipinos overseas with the motherland.
Liaison & Business Intermediation
Liase on behalf of Filipinos overseas with appropriate government and private agencies in the transaction of business and similar ventures in the Philippines.
Commission Clientele
Filipino Permanent Migrants
Filipino permanent migrants or permanent residents abroad who maintain ties with the Philippines.
Naturalized & Dual Citizens
Filipinos overseas who have become naturalized citizens of other countries or dual citizens under Philippine law.
Filipino Spouses & Partners
Filipino spouses and other partners of foreign nationals leaving the country to reside abroad.
Descendants of Filipinos Overseas
Descendants of Filipinos overseas, as defined in Batas Pambansa 79, maintaining cultural heritage.
Filipino Youth Overseas
Filipino youth overseas engaged in educational, cultural, and community programs abroad.
Exchange Visitor Program
Participants fostering cross-cultural understanding and professional growth through exchange programs.
Filipino Au Pair Participants
Filipino Au Pair participants engaging in cultural exchange and childcare programs in host countries.
The Core Pillars
Guided by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, these core goals drive our initiatives to empower the diaspora.
Political Engagement
Advocating for the rights, welfare, and equitable representation of overseas Filipinos in national development.
Economic Engagement
Maximizing the economic potential of migration through diaspora investments, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship.
Cultural Engagement
Advocating for the rights, welfare, and equitable representation of overseas Filipinos in national development.
Engaging the Youth
Empowering the next generation of overseas Filipinos to maintain strong cultural ties and contribute to the homeland.
Quality Policy Statement
We in the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), a government agency responsible for upholding the interests, rights and welfare of overseas Filipinos and strengthening their ties with the Philippines, commit to effectively and efficiently deliver gender-responsive policies, programs and services for the well-being and empowerment of the community of Filipinos overseas.
In pursuit of this commitment, we shall:
Capacitate our people through continuous professional development anchored on social responsibility; Formulate policies and facilitate quality and citizen-centric programs and services that exceed expectations of the public we serve; and Optimize the benefits of migration with overseas Filipinos as development partners of the Philippines and their host countries while addressing the social costs.
With the commitment to uphold the principles of good governance and highest standards of excellence, we adhere to comply and continuously improve our quality management system and other legal requirements.
Kalidad na serbisyo para sa mamamayan, abot sa lahat ng bayan.
Commission on Filipinos Overseas
To know more about the CFO, visit their official website at cfo.gov.ph. It provides essential services, programs, and resources for Filipinos migrating or living abroad.
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