PH to join virtual global forum on migration and development

The Philippines will participate in a virtual global forum next week which seeks to sustain the country’s major contributions in the international debate on migration and development. 
 
The 13th Summit of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 18 to 26, titled  “The Future of Human Mobility: Innovative Partnerships for Sustainable Development.”
 
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola, will chair the roundtable discussions on leveraging new technologies to empower migrants. The Office of the President, through Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert E.A. Borje, will also lead the discussions of the roundtable on skilling migrants for employment.
 
The Philippine team will composed by participants from the Department of Labor of Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Commission on Filipinos Overseas, and the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva who will also attend the thematic roundtable meetings and other side events of the summit.
 
The six roundtable themes are: governance of labor migration in the context of changing employment landscapes; skilling migrants for employment;  leveraging new technologies to empower migrants; addressing gaps in migrant protection; discussing approaches to address irregular migration; and fostering partnerships to realize migration-related goals in the sustainable development agenda.
 
The participation of the Philippines seeks to sustain country’s major contributions in the international movement on migration and development, including the country’s role in the negotiation and adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration as a primary UN process to protect all Filipino migrant workers against all forms of exploitation and abuse, and guarantee decent work for them.