Filipino-Germans Eager to Reconnect Heritage Via CFO's YouLeaD program

By the Commission for Filipinos Overseas (CFO)

HANAU, Germany — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) received strong interest from Filipino-Germans in its Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD) Program, which helps young Filipinos abroad reconnect with their heritage.

At the “Ugnayan sa Germany 2025: Liwaliw” cultural forum, co-hosted by the CFO and the National Book Development Board (NBDB), many participants—especially Filipino mothers—asked about YouLeaD’s requirements and application process for their children. The event gathered Filipino marriage migrants, their families, and Germans interested in Philippine culture as part of the Philippines’ role as Guest of Honor at the 2025 Frankfurter Buchmesse.

YouLeaD is the CFO’s flagship program for second and third-generation overseas Filipinos. Marie Linda L. Santos of the CFO’s Project Management Division explained that it brings youth from various countries to the Philippines for an intensive cultural and educational program that strengthens their identity and prepares them as future leaders.

Undersecretary Ma. Arlene S. Borja, CFO executive director, outlined the commission’s mandate and diaspora engagement initiatives, including the Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL) Program, which channels support from overseas Filipinos to small, high-impact projects in the Philippines.

Participants toured the “Liwaliw” exhibit—highlighting the joy of wandering and relaxing—before joining creative workshops with Filipino artists. The event closed by reaffirming the importance of cultural exchange and sustained dialogue between institutions and the Filipino diaspora.

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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 addresses the needs of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and other temporary migrants.

The CFO, which is an agency under the Office of the President, works to strengthen the social, economic, and cultural ties of global Filipinos with their home country. Its primary stakeholders include Filipino permanent migrants, dual citizens, spouses and partners of foreign nationals, individuals under the Exchange Visitor Program, au pair participants bound for Europe, and Filipino descendants overseas.

For more information, please contact Atty. Jan Karlo Magracia of the Office of the Secretary at jkmagracia@cfo.gov.ph.