CFO Counseling Requirement has no legal basis

[actob99 156]

The CFO is still very necessary, and for the most part does a good job. Some that do not understand the ugly truth about the Philippines think this process is just a way for the government to make a few more pesos. The truth is every year thousands of Filipino women leave the PI seeking a better life by marrying someone from another country. A lot of the marriages are arraigned, or brokered by illegal matchmaking agencies. While mail order brides is illegal in the PI, it still goes on there, because in other countries it is legal. The reason the CFO asks all those questions, and wants all those other documents is because they are trying to find out if a third party introduced the Filipina to their husband, or future husband.

The arranged marriages is clearly a form of human trafficking. Lots of these women go to Korea and Japan, and some wind up being nothing but cooks, maids, babysitters, or even worse forced into the sex trade and prostitution. The CFO tries to find out if someone is coercing them to contract marriage with a foreigner, and if getting married is really what they want to do. A lot of women are 18 to 25 years old and they think they will be helping their family by marrying a foreigner. Even the women family in some cases is the very ones who is encouraging her to get married.

The CFO cannot look at someone and tell if they are a victim of human trafficking, so they try to find that out during the interview. If there are any red flags, the interview and the request for more documents can seem like a interrogation more than a interview. If the woman is 18-25 years old, there is a large age difference, or her husband or fiancee has divorced more than one time, and she can't answer simple questions about him can set off alarms.

Under Philippine law, Filipino women who are going overseas as fiancees and spouses of foreign nationals are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling program to help them make informed decisions regarding their marriage to foreign nationals and to prepare them for their adjustments in cross-cultural marriages. Attending the program is a per-requisite for the issuance of a passport.

I think the counseling program is about the only tool the Philippines has in identifying Filipino women who are mail-order brides, or women who are getting married for the wrong reasons. That why it is still necessary.

You have some valid points and concerns. But why do 40 year old males going to work abroad have to attend the same seminar?

[actob99 156]

Ive read people here complaining about cfo bcoz their fiancee/fiance didnt know the mothers maiden name... Why blame cfo? Why not blame each other for not sharing it with or without seminar? Some people complain about not able to attend the seminar bcoz the slot is full... Then why you didnt go early? Some people complain about cfo failing them bcoz they didnt have the documents they needed...they why did you forget about it or didnt do thorough research before attending the seminar? And if they "brainwash" people and your fiancee/fiance has this doubts and got scared about coming here and being with you... Why blame cfo? Why not ask him or her dont you really love and TRUST me enough?

And lastly why other people was able to pass cfo seminar without any problems and why other had problems? So tell me is it really the cfo's fault? Just like i said i didnt really need the seminar but if i have to "waste" my money and time to save fellow pinay/pinoy from being abuse or neglected or just from being plain stupid...why not. So im really outta here...and you are such a whinner with all the exclamation point. Hehehe you got your sticker get over it. Goodnyt

haha, don't go yet. You're a good debater. YEs we have the certificate but not yet the sticker. And my exclamation points isn't whining. And the point everyone has heartburn over is the fact that do whatever they want with no regulations or set guidelines. Not the fact that they ask for the Maidan name of the Petioner's Mother.

[Messybrownhair 251]

Having been to the US numerous times on my tourist visa before getting the K1, I can vouch that most of what they say is BS and their speakers have never even been to the US (I asked them)..They use scare tactics, tried to convince us to open bank accounts.. it was really awful! At least this was my experience back in 2011

[Messybrownhair 251]

PS. Bring extra money for ridiculous photocopies, know your fiances middle name and bring some photos just in case. They never asked anything extra from me. It wasnt difficult, and it was nice to listen to people share stories, but just everything about it was annoying to me

[AlohaBabes 5]

The CFO is still very necessary, and for the most part does a good job. Some that do not understand the ugly truth about the Philippines think this process is just a way for the government to make a few more pesos. The truth is every year thousands of Filipino women leave the PI seeking a better life by marrying someone from another country. A lot of the marriages are arraigned, or brokered by illegal matchmaking agencies. While mail order brides is illegal in the PI, it still goes on there, because in other countries it is legal. The reason the CFO asks all those questions, and wants all those other documents is because they are trying to find out if a third party introduced the Filipina to their husband, or future husband.

The arranged marriages is clearly a form of human trafficking. Lots of these women go to Korea and Japan, and some wind up being nothing but cooks, maids, babysitters, or even worse forced into the sex trade and prostitution. The CFO tries to find out if someone is coercing them to contract marriage with a foreigner, and if getting married is really what they want to do. A lot of women are 18 to 25 years old and they think they will be helping their family by marrying a foreigner. Even the women family in some cases is the very ones who is encouraging her to get married.

The CFO cannot look at someone and tell if they are a victim of human trafficking, so they try to find that out during the interview. If there are any red flags, the interview and the request for more documents can seem like a interrogation more than a interview. If the woman is 18-25 years old, there is a large age difference, or her husband or fiancee has divorced more than one time, and she can't answer simple questions about him can set off alarms.

Under Philippine law, Filipino women who are going overseas as fiancees and spouses of foreign nationals are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling program to help them make informed decisions regarding their marriage to foreign nationals and to prepare them for their adjustments in cross-cultural marriages. Attending the program is a per-requisite for the issuance of a passport.

I think the counseling program is about the only tool the Philippines has in identifying Filipino women who are mail-order brides, or women who are getting married for the wrong reasons. That why it is still necessary.

You have some good points here!! I agree.. CFO conducts seminar not only to Filipinas who are going to marry foreigners but also to some Filipinos who will work overseas.. My brother had a seminar years ago when he went to Japan to work.. For me the seminar is necessary because not all Filipinos who will go outside the country knows what to do in case something unfortunate happen.. In the seminar you will be thought where to go, what numbers to call and what to do in case of emergencies..

Ive done my seminar this week, and it went out fine.. She actually told us a lot of unfortunate things happened to some Filipinas who married foreign nationals. It is scary but its not something like she wants us to be scared or she is brainwashing us.. She just told us the reality.. What is the worst to expect.. Lucky are those who really end up in a peaceful relationship but there are also unfortunate ones... We cant be so sure what will happen.. I told her that it would still be the same Marrying a Filipino.. you cant be so sure that He will treat you right... What we can do is hope for the best and Pray.

She is concern for me and my son who will come with me. And I understand that. And i also appreciate her concern.

The CFO will not only conduct seminar but also do investigation on you and your partner or fiance.. She ask about if I have a proof or document that will prove that my fiance is Single.. Good thing i brought everything that he sent me.. so I handed her his Tax return that says he is single.. passport is not a proof of being single..

They do investigation because there are a lot of foreigners who married Filipinas not just once but several times here in the Philippines but still appear Single in the system of their country..

The CFO seminar is just concern about the welfare of the Filipinos... Cheers!!!!

[sparkygirl 6]

The legal basis of the CFO is not that Passport Act, it is the BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 79 which was enacted during the time of the then President Ferdinand Marcos. And if, for the purpose of argument, you guys would want to dig deeper into the legal basis then you will end up with the Police Power of the State( the Philippines of course). The law has a noble aim, unfortunately, the agency itself enters into contract with inept third parties to conduct their so called seminars. based on my experience, our counselor was an idiot because she talked about things that she clearly has no knowledge of (eg effect of losing filipino citizenship to acquired properties in the country. With respect to the parental consent/advice, that is a requirement under the Family Code of the Philippines. With respect to the brainwashing or the like, i personally did not experience this. The interview was easy, i felt no threat nor any harassment at all. We were told tho, how and what to do in case of domestic abuse, who to go to who to call etc etc. I have nothing about the CFO and the corresponding fee, but i believe that the purpose for which it was created will be best served if they hire qualified counselors for their seminars.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Having been to the US numerous times on my tourist visa before getting the K1, I can vouch that most of what they say is BS and their speakers have never even been to the US (I asked them)..They use scare tactics, tried to convince us to open bank accounts.. it was really awful! At least this was my experience back in 2011

There you have it. That is the basis for wanting reform in the CFO process.

And I challenge those of you who think the CFO is helpful... Ask your Filipina (yourself, if it applies) what to do in the event of a domestic problem (abuse, neglect, abandonment, etc.). Whom to call? What phone number? I asked my wife if she thought the CFO was helpful at all, and at first, she said a little. Then when I started asking her how she would get home if I abused her, and really started digging, she realized she learned NOTHING from CFO that would actually help her. Turns out, I am the one who educated her on those matters.

[GaryKO 49]

There you have it. That is the basis for wanting reform in the CFO process.

And I challenge those of you who think the CFO is helpful... Ask your Filipina (yourself, if it applies) what to do in the event of a domestic problem (abuse, neglect, abandonment, etc.). Whom to call? What phone number? I asked my wife if she thought the CFO was helpful at all, and at first, she said a little. Then when I started asking her how she would get home if I abused her, and really started digging, she realized she learned NOTHING from CFO that would actually help her. Turns out, I am the one who educated her on those matters.

My wife said the CFO instructed them to report any abuse directly to the Philippine Embassy.

[GaryKO 49]

You have some valid points and concerns. But why do 40 year old males going to work abroad have to attend the same seminar?

No, different seminar for those leaving for work abroad.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

My wife said the CFO instructed them to report any abuse directly to the Philippine Embassy.

Awesome!! Let me know how that works for you. Does she know where the embassy is? What the numbers are? Will a human actually answer the phone and her needs? Again, things I taught her, not CFO...

[Messybrownhair 251]

Awesome!! Let me know how that works for you. Does she know where the embassy is? What the numbers are? Will a human actually answer the phone and her needs? Again, things I taught her, not CFO...

Its pretty impossible to contact the Phil embassy by phone or email lol

[GaryKO 49]

Awesome!! Let me know how that works for you. Does she know where the embassy is? What the numbers are? Will a human actually answer the phone and her needs? Again, things I taught her, not CFO...

Yes she does, fortunately I have a smart wife. She would be very able to handle that. It is good you taught your wife what to do when you abuse her.

[Rob&Ema 12]

Yes she does, fortunately I have a smart wife. She would be very able to handle that. It is good you taught your wife what to do when you abuse her.

That's kinda harsh, almost sounds like your implying that he will or does abuse her.

[actob99 156]

That's kinda harsh, almost sounds like your implying that he will or does abuse her.

That was his intentions, he always likes to go off topic.

[Loolie 56]

That's kinda harsh, almost sounds like your implying that he will or does abuse her.

Daren asked about domestic problem and said he taught his wife what to do etc...not the cfo. He even asked his wife what to do in case he will abuse her. So i dont think mimi and gray was implying that in fact mimi and gray compliment darren for teaching his wife those things in case he will abuse her which mimi and gray didnt need to do bcoz he got a smart wife. what am i implying for? Nothing. Hehehe.