What: Discussion of the National Action Plan of the Philippine Government for the safe return and reintegration of OFWs
When: 16 December 2021 (Thursday), 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Where: Virtual via Zoom
Register here to attend.
Notes:
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on migration with large scale job disruptions leading to the mass return of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Around 1.8 million overseas Filipinos have been repatriated back to the Philippines between March 2020 and Nov 2021 [DOH].
The pandemic also exposed big gaps in reintegration strategies and responses and thus underscored the importance of reintegration preparedness, response programmes and strategies.
Effective reintegration and preparedness can mitigate the risks of violence and labour exploitation at all stages of the migration process. It enables OFWs, especially women, to remove themselves from situations of violence or abusive work by providing them with options to return to the Philippines, reskill/upskill, or get other employment options. Thus, effective reintegration and preparedness can empower the OFWs by expanding their options, opportunities, and agency.
In line with the Philippines’ commitments under the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM), the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment are launching the National Action Plan on Sustainable, Gender-responsive Return and Reintegration.
The National Action Plan was developed under the Bridging Recruitment to Reintegration in Migration Governance (BRIDGE) programme facilitated by IOM in partnership with the ILO and UN Women and with guidance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office.
The BRIDGE Programme is a Joint Programme being implemented by the IOM, ILO and UN Women with the guidance of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRCO) in the Philippines. This programme aims to strengthen the implementation of the GCM to allow the Philippine Government to be more responsive to the needs and protection of OFWs from recruitment to reintegration.
