CFO, PRA make retirement, investment more accessible for former Filipinos
Former Filipinos and foreign retirees seeking to reintegrate, retire, or invest in the Philippines can now look forward to more streamlined, accessible, and client-centered services, through the new partnership between the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA).
The two government agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on June 18, 2025 to integrate PRA’s retirement programs and services into CFO’s BaLinkBayan portal, a centralized digital platform created to assist overseas Filipinos in returning to and investing in the Philippines.
“We have been trying to get more former Filipino citizens to retire here in the Philippines,” PRA General Manager Roberto Zozobrado said.
“Everytime we go on a trip abroad to promote the Philippines as a retirement haven, we always want to talk to the Filipino community. With CFO’s contacts abroad, we can reach out to them and try to convince them to retire here in the Philippines,” he added.
The partnership aims to benefit a wide range of clients, from former Filipino retirees returning home to the Philippines to foreign nationals seeking permanent residence, by giving them easier access to credible, government-backed services and information, all in one place.
Under the MOU, PRA will contribute content and services to the BaLinkBayan portal, including guidance on the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV), investment requirements, healthcare options, and property acquisition. The CFO will help promote these services to former overseas Filipinos and link them with local development initiatives.
This initiative responds to the growing demand for reliable, and accessible information among retirees and returnees, ensuring that their journey back to the Philippines is not only smooth but also filled with opportunity.
“Well, I think now that we have more than one agency working on similar objectives, then we have a higher chance of success so we look forward to this partnership,” CFO Secretary Dante “Klink” Ang II said.
The initiative reflects the spirit of Bagong Pilipinas by reimagining how the government can serve its people, particularly those beyond our borders.
Through this partnership, the CFO and PRA are not only integrating services but also creating smarter pathways for former Filipinos abroad to return, invest, and retire with confidence. It embodies a shift toward proactive governance, one that meets citizens where they are and builds bridges back home through innovation, inclusion, and collaboration.
“It aligns with the mission of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas– to connect the Filipinos abroad to the Philippines politically, economically, and culturally,” Ang said.
“Now we are enhancing our program and initiatives with the elderly members of the diaspora, in partnership with the PRA, to consider retiring in the Philippines,” he added.
About the Commission on Filipinos Overseas
The CFO, established under Batas Pambansa Blg. 79, is dedicated to the welfare and empowerment of Filipinos permanently residing abroad. It is distinct from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which primarily addresses the needs of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and other temporary migrants.
CFO 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 in exchange visitor programs, au pair participants, and children of foreign nationals with Filipino roots.
For more information, please contact RK Peralta of the CFO via email rkperalta@cfo.gov.ph or via Viber +63 960 579 0078.
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