The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has launched the 2026 Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD) program, welcoming four Filipino-Australian youth delegates for an 11-day immersion aimed at strengthening their connection to Philippine heritage and nation-building.

Running from January 3 to 13, the program serves as a key platform for the CFO to fulfill its mandate of linking the Filipino diaspora with the Philippines across political, economic, and cultural spheres. By engaging second-generation Filipinos born or raised abroad, the initiative seeks to encourage active diaspora participation in the country’s development.

The CFO said the YouLeaD program goes beyond cultural exposure, describing it as a strategic effort to empower overseas Filipino youth to become ambassadors of goodwill, supporters of local industries, and advocates of Filipino history and values.

The immersion began with the delegates’ arrival in Manila, where they were introduced to contemporary Filipino life through mall culture and local cuisine, highlighting how tradition and modernity intersect in everyday Filipino society.

On the second day, the focus shifted to economic and environmental realities as the delegates visited Real and Infanta, Quezon, in partnership with the Haribon Foundation. In Real, they engaged with members of the Dinagat tribe and the Barangay Tanauan Farmers Association (BATAFA). Guided by Haribon’s Nova Regalario, the participants took part in re-potting over 120 endemic tree propagules and planting 14 trees at the Real Forest Park Arboretum.

The delegates also gained firsthand insight into rural livelihoods by joining the Alitas Farmers and Fisherfolk Association Inc. (AFFA), observing traditional rice drying and milling processes and touring rice fields aboard a kuliglig or hand tractor. The day concluded with a trek to a mangrove nursery, where they re-potted 150 mangrove propagules, reinforcing lessons on environmental stewardship and civic leadership.

Cultural immersion remained central to the experience, with the delegates sampling local delicacies such as pancit habhab, sinantolan, and suman Infanta, underscoring food as a powerful link to Filipino identity and family roots.

As the program continues, the delegates will take part in Filipino language workshops, media engagements, and visits to the National Museum of the Philippines. By the end of the immersion, the CFO hopes to equip the young leaders with the knowledge and commitment to serve as lasting bridges between Australia and the Philippines, ensuring the diaspora remains an integral part of the Filipino nation.