Labour migration

Regional training to strengthen labour migration and reintegration in Western Visayas

Local governments, Migrant Resource Centres (MRC) and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) helpdesks from six provinces in Western Visayas and partners in Iloilo City gather for an ILO training through its migration programmes to strengthen interagency coordination mechanisms on fair and ethical recruitment and sustainable gender-sensitive reintegration.

To strengthen interagency coordination mechanisms on fair and ethical recruitment and sustainable gender-sensitive reintegration, the International Labour Organization (ILO) brought together six provinces from Western Visayas, and partners from Iloilo province and Iloilo City in a regional training co-organized with the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA), Migrants Coordinating Group (MCG) and Subcommittee on International Migration and Development (SC-IMD) Region VI.

Held in Iloilo City from 27 February to 1 March 2023, the regional training gathered local governments, Migrant Resource Centres (MRC) and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) helpdesks from Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo province, Iloilo City and Negros Occidental. The ILO supports the Philippine Government’s whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach to gender-responsive recruitment and reintegration. The ILO works with the government and social partners, including relevant interagency bodies on migration in the implementation of migration-related initiatives.

Through its migration programmes, the ILO partnered with the SC-IMD, and interagency that endorses interventions in line with regional reintegration mechanisms and supports linkages, including in Western Visayas (Region VI). The SC-IMD is the Philippine interagency body responsible for policy coherence on international migration and development through coordinated strategies and programmes. The region is prioritized for migration interventions due to its migrant population, established collaborations with communities and the need for technical support in localizing migration initiatives through the regional SC-IMD.

The ILO’s Bridging Recruitment to Reintegration in Migration Governance (BRIDGE) Project and the Safe and Fair Programme partnered with the SC-IMD. Using the Training toolbox on Safe and Fair Migration of OFWs, the regional training presented labour migration concepts, gender-responsive service delivery throughout the stages of migration and the OFW Reintegration Advisor based on the following modules:

1. Overview of Philippine labour migration and migration standards and principles
2. Pre-migration, departure and transit
3. Onsite
4. Return, reintegration and development

The training also allowed discussion on migration and development (M&D) agenda and their implementation at the local level which will contribute to the realization of the migration agenda under the Regional Development Plan for 2023-2028.

The Safe and Fair Programme: Realizing women migrant workers’ rights and opportunities in the ASEAN region is funded by the European Union. The global EU-UN Spotlight Initiative is a 500-million-euro EU-UN partnership programme to end violence against women and girls. Safe and Fair is implemented in the ASEAN region, led by the ILO with UN Women and in collaboration with UNODC. Safe and Fair provides technical assistance and support to national and regional stakeholders to make labour migration safe and fair for all women in the ASEAN.

The BRIDGE supported by the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), helps the Philippine government meet its Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration commitments. BRIDGE is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN Women, in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator Office and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).