The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has called for the formal inclusion of overseas Filipino youth and returnees in the national development agenda to ensure their welfare and participation in nation-building.
The proposal was raised during the Philippine Youth Development Plan (PYDP) 2026 Planning Workshop attended by government agencies formulating next year’s strategies.
CFO said the current PYDP must broaden its scope to include Filipino youth living abroad, those returning home, and those based locally to make them “protected, empowered, and engaged partners in development.”
The commission cited key programs such as Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD), the Peer Counseling Program, and the 1343 Actionline Against Human Trafficking as part of its continuing youth engagement efforts.
It also stressed the need to strengthen inter-agency coordination and partnerships to sustain anti-trafficking and empowerment initiatives under the PYDP’s economic empowerment and global mobility cluster.
