Manila pact to protect rights of migrants

At least 120 representatives from the 118 member-countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), including the Philippines, have vowed to protect the rights of migrants at the conclusion of the Special Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue for Peace and Development in Manila on Thursday.

According to the adopted Manila Declaration and Program of Action on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development, the NAM members unanimously agreed that it is the responsibility of governments to safeguard and protect the rights of all migrants against illegal acts, particularly acts of incitement to ethnic, racial and religious discrimination, hostility or violence and crimes perpetrated with racist or xenophobic motivation by individuals of groups.

Based on Philippine government records, the Middle East countries, which include Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arabia Emirates and Yemen, account for 2 million of the 8 million overseas Filipinos. Of these countries, only Israel is not a member of NAM.

“[NAM is] mindful of the positive contributions of migration and increased people-to-people contacts in increasing understanding and fostering tolerance and cooperation among cultures and religions,” the declaration stated.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo noted that the provision was well received by the Middle East countries, saying that they recognize Filipinos are vital to the migrant-receiving countries’ nation-building efforts.

“They have committed that they will protect the rights of migrant workers. In fact, they all have good things to say about Filipinos regardless if they are skilled, semi-skilled or household service workers because they contribute to the society’s well-being and stability. They know that the economies of many countries will suffer without the migrants,” Romulo pointed out.

Most of the Middle East families, according to him, have Filipino women in their homes to take care of their children, while some Middle East officials even understand Tagalog and watch Filipino telenovelas. The Filipinos are also free to express their religions in Syria and Lebanon, among other countries.

The Manila declaration, Romulo said, will be used also by various Philippine posts abroad as a tool to make the foreign governments accountable in their commitment to advance the rights of the migrants.

In the same document, the NAM members noted that the process of globalization constitutes a powerful and dynamic force that should be harnessed for the benefit, development and prosperity of all countries without any exclusion. –LLANESCA T. PANTI Reporter, MAnila Times