04/12/2025
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๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) conducted its second Community Education Program (CEP) on November 27, 2025 at the Iligan City National High School gymnasium to educate students on international migration and human trafficking.
The activity supports the CFOโs mandate under Batas Pambansa Bilang 79 to promote and protect the welfare of overseas Filipinos and strengthen their ties with the Philippines.
Allan Ducusin, Emigrant Officer II from the Migrant Integration and Education Division, discussed human trafficking and presented the laws governing it, including Republic Act 9208 as amended by RA 10364 and RA 11862. He explained the acts that constitute trafficking, such as recruiting, transporting, and harboring persons for purposes of exploitation.
Christopher Edgar C. Alarcon, Technical Assistant from the same division, talked about migrant workers and shared current migration data. He reported that there are an estimated 251 million international migrants worldwide, representing 3.6 percent of the global population. He added that the Philippines ranks as the ninth top migrant-sending country, with the United States as the primary destination.
Alarcon also outlined common reasons for Filipino migration, including earning and saving for business plans, supporting sick family members, building homes, or pursuing permanent settlement abroad. He emphasized both the benefits and costs of migration, such as professional growth and skills transfer, as well as exploitation, family separation, and discrimination.
The CFO also urged students to assess their qualifications, readiness, and financial capacity before deciding to work overseas. Agencies assisting Filipino migrants were introduced, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Migrant Workers, and the CFO.
The CFO headquarters is located in Pasay City with branches in Cebu, Davao, Baguio, and Cagayan de Oro. The program continues to reach schools nationwide through coordination with local government units and partner institutions.
Students raised questions about the relevance of migration education, how the CFO reaches various communities, and the governmentโs next steps in combating human trafficking. The CFO encouraged the public to report trafficking cases through hotline 1343 and reaffirmed its commitment to continued awareness campaigns.
๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง ๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐