Advisory from the Government
๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is inviting Filipino youth across the globe to join its Youth Leaders in Diaspora (YouLeaD) program tailored for young migrants aimed at helping them rediscover their Filipino culture and identity.
โFor our overseas Filipino youth,โ CFO Secretary Dante โKlinkโ Ang II said, โit is imperative that they are made aware of the other half of who they are and why they should be proud that they are Filipino.โ
The YouLeaD program is a cultural immersion initiative that provides an avenue for Filipino youth overseas to reconnect with their cultural roots and meet other Filipino youth in the diaspora to foster global networks and provide an avenue to share their unique experiences as third-culture individuals.
The YouLeaD is expected to run this December 2025โcoinciding with the Southern hemisphereโs summer seasonโfor Filipino youth in Australia featuring a blend of lectures on Philippine history and language, along with guided visits to the countryโs scenic and historic sites. Participants will also be given the opportunity to engage with Filipino students, public officials, and indigenous communities and take part in local cultural celebrations for a full immersive experience.
โLater this year, we aim to collaborate with the Philippine diplomatic post in Australia to implement a YouLeaD module.โ Ang said. โWe want to provide the future leaders of the Filipino diaspora with an avenue to learn from various resource persons, build networks, and ignite their passion for Filipino culture and heritage.โ
Last October, the CFO, in partnership with the Philippine Embassy in Seoul and the United Filipinos in Korea, implemented a YouLeaD module for a group of 25 Filipino-Korean youth who visited the Philippines with the hopes of gaining a better understanding of their roots.
The participating Filipino-Koreans were exposed to the tradition and cultural heritage of the Philippines through historical site visits, recreational activities, and a taste of various Filipino cuisines.
The program offers participants a chance to explore their cultural identity as Filipinos, especially for those who may have grown up with questions about their heritage. Through meaningful experiences and personal reflection, it guides them toward a deeper appreciation of their Filipino roots and helps build lasting connections with both their families and the global Filipino community allowing them to participate in national development efforts.
The YouLeaD can trace its roots to the CFOโs Lakbay-Aral Program developed in 1983 tailored for Filipino youth overseas to rediscover their Filipino roots and appreciate the richness and diversity of their heritage.
Since its reform from the Lakbay Aral Program in 2013, the YouLeaD module has run 17 implementations including 3 virtual sessions during the pandemic. In total, the YouLeaD program has had 420 participants from various countries and territories.
Individuals eligible for the program include Filipino youth overseas, ages 16 years old to 25 years old. Prospective participants will be required to register with an estimated US$ 850 fee per participant covering accommodations, food, and activity fees.
Please feel free to contact the YouLeaD Secretariat at youlead@cfo.gov.ph or at pmd@cfo.gov.ph for more information regarding the program.
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐
๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), established under Batas Pambansa Blg. 79, is dedicated to the welfare and empowerment of Filipinos permanently or extendedly residing abroad. The CFO also engages with the Filipino diaspora in order to strengthen their social, economic, and cultural ties with the Philippines.
The CFOโs 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 making it distinct from the Department of Migrant Workers which caters to overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and other temporary migrants.
For more information, please contact the CFO Project Management Division through pmd@cfo.gov.ph.
