Second-generation Filipino-Australians trace their roots beyond textbooks and family stories as they embark on an 11-day immersion in the Philippines through the 2026 Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD) program of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).In a news release Monday, CFO Chairperson Secretary Dante Ang said the program aims to transform second-generation Filipinos born or raised abroad on how they relate to the Philippines, as it engages them to ensure that the global Filipino community remains an active partner in the country’s progress.

The program, which runs from Jan. 3 to 13, is a primary vehicle for the CFO to fulfill its national mandate and permanently link the Filipino diaspora with the Philippines across political, economic, and cultural dimensions.

“The YouLeaD program is not merely a tour; it is a strategic effort to build a bridge between the Motherland and its children overseas,” Ang said.

The CFO said the delegates started their immersion in Manila by experiencing the local culture and regional cuisines, before heading to Quezon province for a hands-on encounter with rural life.

The youth joined farmers and indigenous communities in planting trees, repotting hundreds of seedlings, and learning traditional rice farming techniques in Real and Infanta towns.

The visit, in partnership with the Haribon Foundation and framed as a “grassroots encounter,” links the diaspora with the people and livelihoods that sustain the country’s rural economy.

In the coming days, the CFO said workshops in language, media, and heritage will be conducted to equip the youth to act as long-term ambassadors, fostering enduring ties between the Philippines and its diaspora.

The CFO describes YouLeaD as a strategic effort to empower youth politically, economically, and culturally, ensuring their active role in the nation’s progress.

“Our vision is to empower these youth to represent the Philippines politically as ambassadors of goodwill, to contribute economically by supporting local industries, and to remain rooted culturally through a deep understanding of our history and values,” the CFO said. (PNA)