A two-day consultation involving government officials, United Nations agencies, and migration stakeholders has produced a set of recommendations aimed at reshaping how the Philippines manages labor migration — from skills development to the structure of bilateral labor agreements.
The Multi-Stakeholders Consultation for the Voluntary Global Compact for Migration Review, held March 26-27 in Mandaluyong City, focused on aligning existing frameworks with a full-cycle migration policy that covers OFWs from pre-deployment through reintegration.
ILO Country Director Khalid Hassan called for a unified approach to the issue, stressing the importance of a “one-system” framework in advancing migration governance across agencies and stakeholders.
The Department of Migrant Workers co-organized the forum alongside the International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration. Together, the three bodies put forward proposals addressing migrants’ skills enhancement, reintegration support, and the updating of bilateral labor agreements.
Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara said the outputs of the consultation would feed directly into ongoing policy processes. “The insights shared during this consultation will help shape the Philippines’ voluntary review of the Global Compact for Migration, bilateral negotiations and multilateral dialogues,” he said.
The event forms part of a broader effort by the Marcos administration to embed worker protection at the center of the country’s migration policy, with the welfare of OFWs and their families cited as a guiding directive.
