An important mandate of CFO is the provision of advice and assistance to the executive and legislative branches of government on matters pertaining to political, economic and social concerns, rights adn obligations of overseas Filipinos.
Year 2003 saw the culmination of CFO's hard work in policy advocacy as three of its major policy proposals were enacted into law by the Philippine Congress. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed into law the Overseas Absentee Voting Act (Republic Act No. 9189), Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (Republic Act No. 9208), and Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act (Republic Act No. 9225) in February, May and August 2003, respectively.
CFO prepared the following researches / studies and policy papers:
- Review of educational policies of countries hosting Philippine Schools
- Economic and Demographic Mapping of Overseas Filipinos
- Recognition of Skills and Qualifications of Filipino Professionals / Skilled Workers Overseas
- Absentee voting practices in selected countries (Australia, Canada, Indonesia, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden and the USA)
- The Indonesian Absentee Voting Experience: some lessons for the Philippines
- Dual Citizenship: Policy Options for the Philippines
- Issues and Concerns Affecting Philippine Migration
- Issues and Concerns Affecting Overseas Filipino Youth
- Policy on sister-city arrangements
- Various policy papers on human trafficking
- Compendium of laws and issuances relevant to Filipinos overseas
CFO provided inputs to the following bills for Filipinos overseas:
- Overseas Absentee Voting Act (passed in February 2003)
- Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (passed in May 2003)
- Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act (passed in August 2003)
- Retail Trade Liberalization Act (passed in 2000)
- Inputs to Amendments of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (R.A. 8042), Balikbayan Law, Amendment of the Philippine Passport Act, Amendment of the Foreign Service Act
- Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers
- Filipino Culture and Heritage Bill
Exchange of Prisoners and Transfer of Sentenced Person
Program Review
- Performance audit and retooling of the CFO office in Cebu was undertaken to improve the delivery of programs and services to its clientele in the Visayas and Mindanao.
- In order to improve the relevance of CFO's counseling program for fiance(e)s and spouses of foreign nationals, CFO developed a draft of its revised guidelines on guidance and counseling in 2003. Said draft shall be submitted to the CFO Board of Commissioners for approval.
