DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, July 3 (PIA) -- The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has collaborated with the Dumaguete City government to provide more assistance to Dumagueteño workers abroad.
The city is one of the local government units (LGUs) in the country that maintains an active localized BaLinkBayan website that connects migrant workers and professionals overseas with their families from Dumaguete City.
The CFO has reported that around 5,488 Dumaguete residents have already emigrated in several countries abroad from 2010-2022.
CFO Chair Sec. Romulo Arugay, in his visit here, confirmed that their primary concern is the welfare, rights, and interest of the Filipino overseas abroad.
He said the localized BaLinkBayan portal also guides on suitable business to invest, offers overseas job opportunities for local workers, helps in the search for best properties to buy, and promotes a suitable tour in the city as well as in the province.
This online service is a one-stop online portal that offers different services to assist overseas Filipino workers, youths, migrants, and retirees who want to start a business, invest, volunteer, donate or access other government online services and become CFO's partners.
Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, who hosted the CFO Forum together with Arugay, focused on the city government’s enhancement and cooperation with the commission to ensure the rights and well-being of Filipinos who settled abroad permanently.
During the forum, they also showcased some of the commission’s programs and services that are available for the Filipino emigrants that will protect their rights and safety during their settlement abroad.
Through the CFO, around P3.4 billion worth of monetary and in-kind donations from communities abroad were collected in support of the Lingkod sa Kapwa Filipino Program, which benefits 16 million of their compatriots in 81 provinces for health and welfare, education, livelihood, and community structure. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from Jill Ingrid Cielo, SU Intern)
