Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine government is rolling out expanded programs to encourage overseas Filipinos to return home for retirement, part of a broader effort to strengthen engagement with the country’s 10.7 million-strong diaspora, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) said Monday.
In a briefing on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, CFO Secretary Dante “Klink” Ang II said the agency is intensifying reintegration initiatives as this year’s Month of Overseas Filipinos highlights the long-term role of migrants in national development. The December observance, created in 1988, honors the economic, social and cultural contributions of Filipinos abroad.
Ang said many long-term migrants, especially those who left in the 1980s, are now considering returning to the Philippines for retirement but often need clearer pathways and support systems.
“There’s no place like home,” he said, noting that the CFO wants to make investing, settling, and aging in the Philippines easier for Filipinos overseas.
Among the major initiatives is a strengthened partnership with the Philippine Retirement Authority to attract retirees back to the country. Ang said interest in retirement options is “consistently high,” with returning migrants eyeing communities outside Metro Manila, including planned developments such as a retirement village in San Pablo, Laguna.
He added that the government and private developers are exploring ways to repurpose oversupplied condominium units into independent or assisted-living facilities to address the growing demand for retirement housing.
The CFO is also expanding programs linking overseas Filipinos with local governments. Through an enhanced “balikbayan program,” local officials are encouraged to present investment opportunities, tourism projects and community development plans to returning residents and townmates abroad.
Beyond retirement, the CFO is working with agencies such as the Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Foreign Affairs to streamline services for permanent migrants and emigrants.
The commission recently partnered with the Philippine Stock Exchange to promote capital investments among Filipinos abroad, providing information on domestic market opportunities.
Ang said the shift in migration patterns is also shaping the agency’s work. While permanent migration slowed before the pandemic, CFO data shows an uptick in 2025, nearing the 70,000–80,000 emigrants per year recorded a decade ago. Concerns such as mental health, particularly among student migrants, are prompting new programs with Filipino communities in North America, Australia and Europe.
As global tensions and economic uncertainties persist, Ang said government agencies remain focused on protecting Filipino communities worldwide. “Whether you’re a permanent or temporary migrant, you are our partners in national development,” he said.
