A regional policy tool developed under Philippine leadership has secured the backing of all ASEAN member-states, with the checklist of the ASEAN Guidelines on the Effective Return and Reintegration of Migrant Workers formally submitted for Leaders’ notation at the 48th ASEAN Summit held in Cebu on May 8, 2026.
The summit took place under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Chairship, with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) serving as the primary architect of the initiative.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, in a report to the President, described the checklist as a regional reference that ASEAN countries can use to strengthen policies and programs aimed at ensuring the safe return and reintegration of their migrant workers.
The tool was conceived in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed critical gaps in how governments across the region managed the displacement and repatriation of workers during large-scale crises. Designed as a voluntary instrument, the checklist is intended to help member-states better address the fallout from health emergencies, geopolitical disruptions, and natural or human-induced disasters on their migrant worker populations.
Beyond crisis response, the checklist is also meant to improve how ASEAN governments coordinate with one another, track policy outcomes, benchmark performance, and build evidence-based approaches to migrant worker protection.
The DMW is set to lead regional workshops and capacity-building sessions alongside the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment to support member-states in putting the checklist into practice.
