PH Consulate General in Barcelona, CFO Forge Landmark Partnership to Support Filipinos Overseas

Philippine Consul General to Barcelona Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro (second from left) and Commission on Overseas Filipinos Secretary Dante Ang II (third from left) formalize their partnership to promote the PCG’s ICON Kit and FilCom Registration Card for Filipinos in Barcelona, and PCG raising awareness of CFO services among Filipinos in its jurisdiction.

BARCELONA 13 December 2024 —  The Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona led by Consul General Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro, and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), led by Secretary Dante Ang II, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marking the first formal agreement signed by the newly-appointed CFO Secretary with a Foreign Service Post. This partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to enhancing services and resources for Filipinos abroad.

Under the agreement, the CFO will disseminate the Consulate General’s In-Country Orientation Kit (ICON Kit) to Filipino emigrants bound for its jurisdiction, including spouses and partners of Spanish citizens, as part of its pre-departure orientation seminars. In turn, the PCG will provide timely updates to the ICON Kit, collaborate on CFO’s pre-departure orientation content, and promote CFO services to Filipinos in its jurisdiction.

The ICON Kit, a comprehensive guide developed by the Consulate in collaboration with the Filipino Community, equips outbound and newly-arrived Filipinos with essential information to navigate life in Barcelona and surrounding areas.

Consul General Lazaro also shared updates on the Consulate General’s Filipino Community Registration Card (FCRC), which serves as a community registration mechanism and a valuable tool for tracking migration patterns. The FCRC provides critical insights into the demographics, movement trends, and needs of the Filipino community, enabling the delivery of more effective and targeted support services.

Both CFO and Consulate General officials expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasizing its alignment with their mission to support Overseas Filipinos. They highlighted the increasing migration trends in Europe and the importance of proactive measures to address the evolving needs of Filipino migrants.

This partnership marks a significant step toward fostering a well-informed and connected Filipino community abroad. The Consulate General and CFO remain committed to leveraging this collaboration to deliver meaningful support and resources to Filipinos overseas.

For more information, visit https://barcelonapcg.dfa.gov.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBarcelona/.