MANILA — The prevalence of social media has contributed to an increase in 2022  in marriages between Filipinos and foreigners, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas said.

Commission on Filipinos Overseas chief Leo Arugay says more than 6,500 Filipinos married foreigners in 2022 alone. Moore than 6,000 of the Filipinos who married foreigners are women, the agency added.

Arugay said the number of marriage migrants had been high since 2017 and was only interrupted by the pandemic, when movement restrictions were put in place to prevent the spread of cOVID-19.

He said that that the number of Filipinos registering to marry foreigners rose by 20-30 percent in 2022, a rise that he called "very small."

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“Ang nakikita naming pagtaas ng antas ng pag-aasawa ng mga Pilipina or Pilipino ng mga banyaga ay sa pag-ano ng social media is Number One; mga matching, iyong mga letters, mga introduction ng kanilang mga kaibigan.”

(What we have seen as a factor is social media, that is Number One, and matching, letters and introductions through friends)

Thousands of Filipinos leave the country daily to seek better opportunities abroad through employment, education and migration.

Arugay said most of the Filipinos who married foreigners were wed to Americans, followed by Japanese, Germans, Canadians, and Australians.

He says the CFO requires Filipino nationals to undergo their strict guidance and counseling programs before being allowed to leave the country to help them adapt to their new life with their foreign spouses.

“Halimbawa sa bansang Hapon, ano ba ang klase ng kultura ng mga Japanese? Pagdating niya doon ano ang adjustment na dapat niyang gawin? Applicable ba ang mga ginagawa dito o hindi? Iyong mga pros and cons ay tatalakayin nang one-on-one guidance and counseling program ng aming counselor,” he said.

(For example, if they are moving to Japan... What is the culture there? What adjustments will they have to make when they move there? The pros and cons are discussed in one-on-one guidance and counseling programs)

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Once the counseling as done, applicants are given digital certificates to show they went through the guidance program.Those who don't have CFO certificates may end up being bumped off their flights or otherwise have their departures delayed.  

Arugay says the program also helps them identify possible victims of human trafficking schemes, including through fake marriages. 

“Ang CFO po ang Advocacy and Communication Committee head para dito sa massive information campaign against human trafficking,” he also said.

(The CFO heads the committee for the massive information campaign against human trafficking)