RP's migration program seen as model - DoLE exec
MANILA, Philippines - Despite the pronouncements of some migrant workers’ groups that the situation of Filipino workers overseas remains awful, a government official reported that the country was hailed by other countries and international organizations as having “the best migration management system in the world."
A statement from the Office of the President on Monday quoted Atty. Ricardo Gloria Jr, head of the legal section of the Department of Labor and Employment, as saying that the International Labor Organization and the International Organization on Migration have commended the Philippines for handling well the situation of migration.
“Indonesia said RP’s ‘great investment to the issue of migrant workers can serve as a model for other countries,’ a sentiment echoed by Guatemala and Egypt that asked for more concrete information on RP programs including bilateral agreements to give workers social security," the statement said.
Gloria is in the 44-member Philippine contingent who presented the country's human rights record before the United Nation's Human Rights Council (UNCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who concurrently chairs the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC), led the delegation.
According to the Palace statement, the Philippine delegation outlined the institutions and programs of the Arroyo administration which addressed the welfare of migrant workers and fight human trafficking and illegal recruitment.
This includes the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking, and Office for Migrant Workers Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The UN panel members earlier commended the Philippine panel for the government’s efforts in solving human rights cases, the statement said.
The country is the 10th in the first batch of 16 countries that would undergo the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The UPR is a new review mechanism for the 192 members of the UN which seeks to look into the fulfillment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments.
The other members of the first batch are: Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia, Finland, United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Algeria, Poland, Netherlands, South Africa, Czech Republic and Argentina.
Only three batches would be reviewed this year, followed by another three in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
The review of the Philippine situation began on Friday (April 11).
Meanwhile, Ermita said that the government urged more countries to accede to the International Convention On The Protection Of The Rights Of All Migrant Workers And Members Of Their Families.
In the same session, several labor-sending countries reportedly joined the call such as Indonesia , Mexico , Egypt, Sri Lanka and Guatemala.
“It is interesting to note that many developed countries – which place great emphasis on issues such as disappearances and torture – have not signed or ratified the Convention on the Rights of Migrant workers despite the fact that their countries employ millions of workers from foreign countries," the press statement said.
Some overseas Filipino workers groups have criticized the present administration for neglecting the rights and welfare of migrant workers in foreign countries especially in the Middle East.
They noted the failure of the government to speed up the repatriation process of the hundreds of distressed and abused OFWs stranded in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
OFW groups also trumpeted calls to save Filipinos facing the death row in several countries as well as the negative effects of their depreciating dollar remittances against a strong peso. – Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV
A statement from the Office of the President on Monday quoted Atty. Ricardo Gloria Jr, head of the legal section of the Department of Labor and Employment, as saying that the International Labor Organization and the International Organization on Migration have commended the Philippines for handling well the situation of migration.
“Indonesia said RP’s ‘great investment to the issue of migrant workers can serve as a model for other countries,’ a sentiment echoed by Guatemala and Egypt that asked for more concrete information on RP programs including bilateral agreements to give workers social security," the statement said.
Gloria is in the 44-member Philippine contingent who presented the country's human rights record before the United Nation's Human Rights Council (UNCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who concurrently chairs the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC), led the delegation.
According to the Palace statement, the Philippine delegation outlined the institutions and programs of the Arroyo administration which addressed the welfare of migrant workers and fight human trafficking and illegal recruitment.
This includes the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking, and Office for Migrant Workers Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The UN panel members earlier commended the Philippine panel for the government’s efforts in solving human rights cases, the statement said.
The country is the 10th in the first batch of 16 countries that would undergo the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The UPR is a new review mechanism for the 192 members of the UN which seeks to look into the fulfillment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments.
The other members of the first batch are: Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia, Finland, United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Algeria, Poland, Netherlands, South Africa, Czech Republic and Argentina.
Only three batches would be reviewed this year, followed by another three in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
The review of the Philippine situation began on Friday (April 11).
Meanwhile, Ermita said that the government urged more countries to accede to the International Convention On The Protection Of The Rights Of All Migrant Workers And Members Of Their Families.
In the same session, several labor-sending countries reportedly joined the call such as Indonesia , Mexico , Egypt, Sri Lanka and Guatemala.
“It is interesting to note that many developed countries – which place great emphasis on issues such as disappearances and torture – have not signed or ratified the Convention on the Rights of Migrant workers despite the fact that their countries employ millions of workers from foreign countries," the press statement said.
Some overseas Filipino workers groups have criticized the present administration for neglecting the rights and welfare of migrant workers in foreign countries especially in the Middle East.
They noted the failure of the government to speed up the repatriation process of the hundreds of distressed and abused OFWs stranded in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
OFW groups also trumpeted calls to save Filipinos facing the death row in several countries as well as the negative effects of their depreciating dollar remittances against a strong peso. – Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV
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