PASAY CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has officially assumed the lead role in providing policy direction for a landmark “Continuing Care Retirement Community” (CCRC), following the signing of a multi-sectoral Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Wednesday.
The agreement, signed at the CFO headquarters in Pasay City, establishes a strategic partnership between the CFO, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiatives Inc. (ATIKHA), Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC), and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA).
The collaboration seeks to develop a model retirement hub in San Pablo City, Laguna, specifically designed to address the long-term care and productive aging needs of the Philippine diaspora.
Under the terms of the MOA, the CFO is designated as the lead government agency responsible for the project’s policy coordination.
Beyond administrative oversight, the CFO’s role is centered on three strategic pillars:
Global connection — Utilizing the CFO’s extensive diaspora network to link overseas Filipino professionals and investors to the project.
Brain gain advocacy — Facilitating a “brain gain” initiative that recruits healthcare workers currently practicing abroad to manage and provide world-class care within the Laguna facility.
Institutional linkage — Serving as the primary conduit for Filipinos in the diaspora who wish to return home to a secure, dignified, and environment-friendly community.
“Every Filipino who gave their strength to the world should always find a home for care, pride, and purpose in the Philippines,” the CFO stated in the agreement, underscoring its commitment to honoring the resilience of the aging migrant population.
San Pablo City was selected as the pilot site due to its distinctive mountains-and-lakes geography, proximity to specialized hospitals, and climate considered conducive to senior health and wellness.
The CCRC is envisioned as a social enterprise model, encouraging diaspora members and returning migrants to own and manage the facilities themselves.
While the CFO will lead policy coordination, partner institutions will contribute specialized expertise.
ATIKHA will serve as the project convenor and spearhead the development of a TESDA-accredited healthcare training center. The DMW, through the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), will focus on worker reintegration and global promotion through Migrant Workers Offices worldwide.
SIDC will act as the partner cooperative for land acquisition, while NaFFAA will lead awareness-building and investment campaigns within the Filipino-American community.
To ensure effective execution, the parties agreed to establish a Technical Working Group (TWG) Management Team and a Joint Secretariat to oversee project planning and implementation. The initiative aligns with the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) objectives of enabling safe, dignified return and sustainable reintegration.
About the Commission on Filipinos Overseas
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (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, which primarily serves Overseas Filipino Workers and other temporary migrants.
An agency under the Office of the President, the CFO works to strengthen the social, economic, and cultural ties of global Filipinos with the Philippines. Its stakeholders include permanent migrants, dual citizens, spouses and partners of foreign nationals, Exchange Visitor Program participants, au pairs bound for Europe, and Filipino descendants overseas.
For more information, contact Manolo Tibe of the Policy, Planning, and Research Division at mtibe@cfo.gov.ph.
