VP Binay urges all govts to protect migrant workers

Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay urged all governments and international organizations to ensure that the rights and dignity of all migrants are protected.

“Migration has equitably benefited the world’s nations. Its value is not one-sided and given the economic and demographic crises that afflict the world, it is quite possibly a pivotal solution to global woes,” Binay said during the 60th anniversary celebration of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

“Migration is not, and never has been a threat to national prosperity,” said Binay, who is the presidential adviser for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) concerns.

One of world’s largest migrant sending countries

The Philippines is one of the world’s largest migrant sending countries, with millions of Filipinos living and working abroad.

About 10 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) comes from remittances of Overseas Filipino Workers.

“The Philippines is one of the world’s leading migrant-sending countries and often recognized as a model in the management of migration,” Meyer said in a message on behalf of UN Resident Coordinator Dr. Jacqueline Badcock.

“Against this backdrop, IOM presence in the Philippines is very relevant, and has proven itself to be a very engaged partner with the Government, civil society, and development parties including the United Nations Country Team,” she said.

IOM

The IOM event at its new offices in Manila on Wednesday was attended by government officials, diplomats and civil society partners including Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban B. Conejos Jr., US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. and UNDP Country Director Renaud Meyer.

“Our experience in assisting more than 14 million migrants worldwide has taught us many things, particularly the importance of partnerships: with governments, with international agencies and civil society organizations, and with the migrants themselves,” said IOM Philippines Chief of Mission Ovais Sarmad.

“Moreover, in the course of our work, we have learned that migration is not only a fact of life and desirable, but has now become a necessity in the context of addressing a number of humanitarian and development issues at national, regional and global levels,” Sarmad said.

Established in 1951, IOM has become the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.

IOM first assisted the Philippines government in repatriating nationals in need of assistance in the Middle East during the Gulf War in 1991.

More recently, IOM helped repatriate thousands of overseas Filipinos to safety during this year’s crises in North Africa.

The Philippines is home to both the IOM Philippines country mission and the organization’s global Manila Administrative Centre. – VVP, GMA News